These results are in agreement with previous studies pointing out IL‐18 as an important predictor of mortality in humans with severe sepsis and septic shock,32 as well as an IL‐18‐dependent increase in mortality in neonates with sepsis.30 Moreover, we observed a propensity for increased caspase‐1 activity among nonsurvivors compared with survivors. The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is Sepsis.