Fig. 1

Circulating histone H3 levels are associated with multiple organ failure. Serum histone H3 levels within 24 h of ICU admission (day 1) were analyzed in septic patients. The septic patients were divided into four groups: those without organ failure (n = 5), those with one organ failure (n = 38), those with two organ failures (n = 27), and those with three or more organ failures (n = 14 for three organ failures; n = 1 for four organ failures). Data for four patients were missing because serum samples were not obtained within 24 h of ICU admission. Differences between serum histone H3 levels in patients with and without organ failure were analyzed by the Shirley–Williams test. *p <  0.05 versus patients without organ failure