They reported a lower incidence of pneumonia (OR 0.39, 95 per cent c.i. 0.16 to 0.96), and lower levels of ICAM-1 and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (both markers of endothelial damage) in the salmeterol group, but no difference in the incidence of acute lung injury (ALI) (OR 1.25, 0.71 to 2.22). This evidence concerns the gene ICAM1 and pneumonia.