AimTo explore the relation between the genetic polymorphism cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) TaqIB and the stability of carotid atherosclerosis of cerebral infarction patients.Methods135 cases of cerebral infarction with vulnerable plaques and 158 cases of cerebral infarction with stable plaques were studied.Polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was adopted to determine CETP TaqIB gene polymorphism for all specimens, comparing CETP TaqIB gene polymorphism in the vulnerable plaque group with the stable plaque group, which were statistically analysed.ResultsThe proportions of B1B1, B1B2, B2B2 genotype in the vulnerable plaque group were 56.30%, 33.33% and 10.37% respectively, and were 53.80%, 36.07% and 10.13% in the stable plaque group, the difference has no statistical significance.The frequencies of B1, B2 allele in the vulnerable plaque group were 72.96% and 27.04% respectively, and were 71.84% and 28.16% in the stable plaque group, the difference also has no statistical significance in comparison.ConclusionsCETP TaqIB genetic polymorphism may have no definite relationship with the stability of carotid atherosclerosis of cerebral infarction patients.