The importance of the fibrinolytic system in the host response to sepsis is also supported by the early release of an anti-fibrinolytic factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), in human endotoxemia [28], coupled by the consistent association of PAI-1 levels with sepsis mortality [7,8]. This evidence concerns the gene SERPINE1 and serum lipopolysaccharide activity.