Association of TNF2, a TNF-α Promoter Polymorphism, With Septic Shock Susceptibility and Mortality

THE PRIMARY cause of death in intensive care units (ICUs).With a mortality rate in excess of 50%, it results in more than 100 000 deaths a year in the United States. 1,2Sepsis-induced organ failure leading to death appears to be due to the activation of a mediator cascade initiated by microbial components. 1,2Although the pathophysiology of systemic inflammation and organ dysfunction is complex, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-␣) has emerged as a proximal and central cytokine of septic shock. 2,3Its administration reproduces essentially all the deleterious effects of endotoxin and bacteria, including