Effect of dexamethasone (D) on cytokine release in pressure-limited ventilation (series_2). Mice were ventilated with 10 cm H₂O (p10), 24 cm H₂O (p24 I), 27 cm H₂O (p27 I), or 30 cm H₂O (p30 I) including pressure release valve (I, 34 cm H₂O) for 7 h (or until death). Animals randomly received D (1 mg/kg iv) directly after start of mechanical ventilation. Cytokine levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Cytokine quantity of (A) interleukin 6 (IL6; p10: n = 5, p24 I: n = 4, p24 I D: n = 6, p27 I: n = 4, p27 I D: n = 5, p30 I: n = 5, p30 I D: n = 5), (B) chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1; p10: n = 5, p24 I: n = 4, p24 I D: n = 6, p27 I: n = 4, p27 I D: n = 5, p30 I: n = 4, p30 I D: n = 5), (C) tumor necrosis factor (TNF; p10: n = 4, p24 I: n = 4, p24 I D: n = 6, p27 I: n = 4, p27 I D: n = 4, p30 I: n = 5, p30 I D: n = 5), and (D) C-X-C motif ligand 10 (CXCL10; p10: n = 5, p24 I: n = 5, p24 I D: n = 5, p27 I: n = 4, p27 I D: n = 4, p30 I: n = 5, p30 I D: n = 5) are shown as scatter plot with mean ± SD. *P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.01, and ***P ≤ 0.001 in comparison to 24 cm H2O group and ##P ≤ 0.01 and ###P ≤ 0.001 in comparisons of D versus corresponding pressure control groups. n.s. = not significant.