Figure 5

High plasma levels of HMGB1 are associated with increased mortality and end-organ injury in trauma patients. (a) Baseline plasma levels of high mobility group box nuclear protein 1 (HMGB1) after severe trauma were higher in non-survivors compared with survivors. Graphs depict median and interquartile range; P = 0.02 by Wilcoxon rank-sum). (b) Patients who developed acute lung injury (ALI) had significantly higher levels of plasma HMGB1 compared with those who did not develop ALI (median 7.49 vs 4.28 ng/ml, P = 0.02). Likewise, patients with fewer ventilator free days (VFDs) had higher plasma HMGB1 levels compared with those with more VFDs (P = 0.0004). Patients who developed acute renal failure (ARF) had significantly higher plasma HMGB1 levels compared with those who did not develop ARF (median 12.76 vs. 4.14 ng/ml, P = 0.0001). Patients who required more than two units of packed red cell transfusion also had higher plasma HMGB1 levels compared with those transfused with fewer units of blood (P = 0.03). Graphs depict median and interquartile range.