Figure 1. Box plot of plasma profiles of PI3, SLPI, HNE, and HNE/PI3 among pre-ARDS, the ARDS and the controls.

Pre-ARDS: plasma sample (n = 19) collected during 7-day period before ARDS diagnosis; ARDS: samples (n = 67) collected within 48-hour of ARDS diagnosis; Control: samples (n = 63) collected within 48-hour of ICU admission; Ref: anonymous plasma samples from healthy individual (n = 28). The plasma profiles among three groups were tested by general linear model with adjustment of age, gender, pulmonary injury, pre-admission steroid use, and higher APACHE III score on ICU admission (P values showed in the plots).