We measured the levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), CD11a, CD11b, CD18, endotoxin, and various inflammatory cytokines to clarify the relationship between adhesive molecules and cytokines in sepsis. We studied 21 patients with sepsis (sepsis group) and 13 patients with trauma not complicated by infection (trauma group). The mean sICAM-1 level was significantly higher in the sepsis group than in the trauma group. No significant difference was observed in the CD11a, CD11b, and CD18 levels between the two groups. The sICAM-1 levels significantly correlated with the levels of endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and IL-8, but CD11a, CD11b, and CD18 levels did not correlate with endotoxin or cytokine levels. These findings suggest that ICAM-1 production is induced by endotoxins and cytokines produced in excess by inflammatory reactions and that endotoxins and cytokines are involved in qualitative, but not quantitative changes in LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18).