Jónsdóttir et al., found that the serum level of the classic chemokine IL-8 can predict the mortality in patients with AECOPD and acute hypercapnic respiratory failure treated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) within 28 days (6), but no other function of IL-8 in COPD was fully interpreted. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.