In vitro studies have confirmed that dexamethasone will reduce hypoxia-induced VEGF expression (Fischer et al., 2001), decrease VEGF expression in a murine model of hypoxic lung injury (Hegeman et al., 2013) and inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha dependent gene expression (including the VEGF gene) (Wagner et al., 2008). Here, HIF1A is linked to injury.