Figure 2.

Pulmonary superinfections in patients with ARDS are associated with the increased production of inflammasome-dependent cytokines. Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed within 24 h of disease onset. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected in the right middle lobe and analyzed afterward via multiplex immunoassay. BALF concentrations of (A) IL-1ß, (B) IL-18, (C) TNF-α, and (D) IL-6 compared between ARDS patients with and without pulmonary superinfections. Mean ± SD of log-transformed data; unpaired t-test; * p ≤ 0.05; ns = not significant; red violin plot = ARDS with superinfection; yellow violin plot = ARDS without superinfection.