SDC1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: Patients with non-pulmonary sepsis, on mechanical ventilation and with an APACHE II ≥ 25, had higher plasma syndecan-1 concentrations on day 2 of ICU admission with levels that were significantly correlated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), though this was not true of pulmonary sepsis patients (pneumonia or aspiration of gastric contents) (14).