Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphism of C-reactive protein (CRP) gene and plasma level of hs-CRP in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods 548 patients with acute ischemic stroke were considered to be the case group and 993 age-matched healthy controls were randomly selected from community-based population.Three tagging SNPs of the CRP gene (rs876537,rs3093059,and rs3091244) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).The plasma hs CRP levels were measured by routine method and multiple logistic regression was applied to evaluate genetic effect on plasma hs-CRP level.Results (1) The hs-CRP concentration and elevation (≥3.0 mg/L) proportion were significantly higher in case group than in control group [(3.534 ± 3.484) mg/L vs.(1.957 ± 2.344) mg/L,43.1％ vs.16.6％,t=10.74 and 23.45,both P＜0.05].(2) Compared with controls,the case group had higher conventional vascular risks,including higher blood pressure [SBP:(145.33 ± 22.11) vs.(134.92±19.48) mmHg,t=14.30,P＜0.05; DBP:(88.14±12.72) vs.(81.42± 12.44) mmHg,t=12.44,P＜0.05],higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [(2.714±0.904)vs.(2.286 ± 0.704) mmol/L,t =9.72,P＜ 0.05],and lower concentration of high-density lipoproteincholesterol [(1.213±0.317) vs.(1.438±0.262) /L,t=-12.89,P＜0.05].(3) Both rs876537 and rs3093059 polymorphism of CRP gene showed statistical associations with elevation of plasma hs-CRP level in case group.After adjusted for covariates including age,sex,hypertension,type 2 diabetes and other factors,additive model and dominant model of rs3093059 showed that the adjusted ORs (95 ％ CI) were 1.548 (1.103-2.171),1.562 (1.070-2.281) respectively (both P＜ 0.05).And ORs (95％ CI) of additive model and dominant model of rs876537 were 1.368 (1.067-1.753),1.719 (I.190-2.482) respectively after adjusted for covariates (both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Plasma hs-CRP concentration is significantly higher in ischemic stroke patients than in healthy population.The polymorphism of rs876537 and rs3093059 of CRP gene has association with elevation of plasma hs-CRP level in ischemic stroke patients.