Similar to previous studies [19–21], our ICU-sepsis group displayed significantly increased interleukin (IL)-18, IL-1β (figure 1a and b), IL-6, CXCL-8, IL-10 and MCP-1 compared to either or both of the ICU-non-sepsis patient and healthy cohorts (supplementary figure S1). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is Sepsis.