Greater levels of lung infiltration on a chest X-ray; leukocytosis; neutrophilia; lymphopenia; thrombocytopenia; and elevated serum aspartate transaminase, bilirubin, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase, and procalcitonin were significantly associated with COVID-19 pneumonia combined with ARDS rather than those without ARDS (P < 0.05, each). The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.