Additionally, disease genes associated with septic shock were retrieved from the DisGeNET database (http://www.disgenet.org/web/DisGeNET/menu/search?4), with the top 20 genes (TNF, C5AR1, GC, AQP1, NOS2, SELL, TBXA2R, A2M, ELANE, IL6, IL10, TLR4, CASP1, ADM, IL1B, LTA, CD14, SAA1, SAA2 and SLC5A1) considered to be septic shock-related genes. Here, TNF is linked to septic shock.