A 58-year-old man is admitted with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. On hospital day 2, he is febrile (39.2°C), tachycardic (heart rate 112/min), tachypneic (respiratory rate 26/min), and has a white blood cell count of 18,000/μL. Laboratory studies reveal a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 180 mg/L (normal <10 mg/L) and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 65 mm/hr (normal <20 mm/hr). Which of the following statements is LEAST likely to be true regarding this patient’s inflammatory response?