To examine whether circulating BMP9 are reduced in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis, plasma BMP9 concentrations were measured in 10 patients with SIRS and 10 patients with sepsis, all sampled within 72 hours of admission to the MICU, and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. The gene discussed is GDF2; the disease is Sepsis.