Figure 2.

Plasma MMP-9 expression were analyzed by gelatin zymography assay obtained from the healthy control, non-VAP subjects and patients with VAP. Plasma MMP-9 expression was significantly increased in the acute stage of VAP patients when compared with both the non-VAP subjects (p=0.009) and the healthy controls (p=0.009); and decreased after treatment (p=0.0008). Box plot represent the median, 25th to 75th percentiles, minimum, maximum, and outliers. VAPAC, VAP in acute stage, VAPRE, VAP in remission stage.