A previous ex vivo study revealed that human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with blood serum from the sepsis patients showed increased endothelial monolayer permeability in relation to the elevated serum level of high mobility group box (HMGB)-1 [19] that is known to be increased in the bloodstream of HF patients as well [20]. This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and hydrops fetalis.