We note that while causal mediation analysis has been previously used to evaluate inflammatory mediators of the effect of obesity on risk for mortality in COVID-19 [31], and soluble RAGE receptor levels and angiopoietin-2-levels in sepsis-related ARDS [32, 33], here we report causal mediation analysis of NET-forming neutrophil subsets. Here, ANGPT2 is linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome.