Further, the angiogenic factor PGF, correlated in one study to in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 [36], was, along with CCL19, GAL-9 and DCN, significantly elevated in patients with severe COVID-19 in comparison to healthy controls, as in our IPF ex vivo model and in IPF serum [28]. This evidence concerns the gene DCN and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.