Circulating biomarkers of endothelial cell dysfunction, including circulating adhesion Angiopoietin-2/Angiopoietin-1 ratio (Ang-2/Ang-1) and Angiopoietin-1/Tie-2 ratio (Ang-1/Tie-2), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and thrombomodulin (TM), have also shown to be independent predictors of 90-day mortality in ICU patients with severe sepsis and septic shock (74). The gene discussed is THBD; the disease is septic shock.