IL6 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: In ALI/ARDS, macrophages play a pivotal role inlung tissue damageby producing cytokines, such as IL-6, which enhance alveolocapillarypermeability and recruit neutrophils to the alveolar and epithelialspaces.20 Macrophages also generate ROS,leading to injury in endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells.