Ottestad W, et al. - In this prospective single-center observational investigation including 136 trauma patients, researchers focused on high mobility group box 1 protein concentration kinetics with high time resolution during the first hours following trauma in individual patients as well as determined the link with the outcome. Repeated samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine total plasma high mobility group box 1 protein levels. The primary outcome measure was ventilator-free days. Findings revealed that the release of high mobility group box 1 protein occurred in two consecutive phases. The outcome was significantly predicted by only the second high mobility group box 1 protein wave. High mobility group box 1 protein-specific antagonist therapy might be hypothetically beneficial in patients with a high high mobility group box 1 protein level between 3 and 6 hours post-trauma.