Within the non-VAP group, IL-6 concentrations increased from baseline to follow-up (21.7 pg/mL [1.8–75.1] vs. 110.4 pg/mL [12.6–357.1]; p = 0.04), whereas IL-1β (764.0 pg/mL [4.9–5912] vs. 827.6 pg/mL [41.1–2200]; p = 0.97) and TNF-α (49.6 pg/mL [4.3–103.7] vs. 35.1 pg/mL [11.9–127.1]; p = 0.66) remained stable (Fig. 4C). Here, IL6 is linked to ventilator-associated pneumonia.