Abstract： Objective To study the clinical changes of von Willebrand factor( vWF) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients with severe pulmonary contusion. Methods Sixty-three patients with severe pulmonary contusion were divided into three different classifications for the sake of comparison in different respects, namely (1) severe pulmonary contusion with ARDS group and severe pulmonary contusion without ARDS group, (2) survival group and non-survival group, and (3) ISS score <20 group and ISS scored 20 group. In addition, the normal control group was set up. The levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were respectively detected by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) within 24 hours of injury and 1,3,5 and 7days after injury. The regularity of their changes was observed and the correlation factors were analyzed from the data. Results Compared with normal controls, the concentrations of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were significantly increased in patients with severe pulmonary contusion in all intervals of detection. The concentrations of plasma vWF escalated gradually in severe pulmonary contusion with ARDS, and reached significantly higher levels in 5 days and 7 days after injury compared with those without ARDS group (P <0. 05). The increase in concentrations of serum IL-8 peaked in 5day after injury, and then declined. The levels of serum IL-8 were higher in patients with severe pulmonary contusion with ARDS group than those in this kind of patients without ARDS group. The levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were higher in non - survival group than those in survival group (P < 0.05). The increase in levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 peaked and then declined in 5 days in ISS score 3:20 group, whereas it peaked and declined in 3 days after injury in ISS score < 20 group. The level of plasma vWF was positively correlated with platelets and negatively correlated with oxygenation index. The levels of serum IL-8 was positively correlated with white blood cell count and ISS score, and negatively correlated with oxygenation index. Conclusions The levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were increased in patients with severe pulmonary contusion, reflecting the severity of pulmonary injury. The levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were the sensitive markers for evaluating the severity of pulmonary injury and the prognosis of ARDS caused by severe pulmonary contusion.