We examined several biomarkers of the exudative phase of ARDS, including receptor for advanced glycosylation end products (RAGE), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFα), CXCL5 (or ENA78, which has structural homology to IL-8), and platelet and endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) (76, –, 79). This evidence concerns the gene PECAM1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome.