Aim To obeserve the serum resistin expression in cerebral infarction and carotid atherosclerosis.Methods Carotid atherosclerosis of all enrolled objects were evaluated by ultrasonography and the level of resistin were detected in blood plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The resistin content in cerebral infarction group was compared with control group.The relationships between resistin and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT),carotid plaque scores were analysed.Results 82.4% patients were detected to have carotid atherosclerosis in cerebral infarction group,and 36.3% patients were detected to have carotid atherosclerosis in control group.The level of resistin in cerebral infarction group was higher than in control group(23.06 ±2.47 mg/L vs 12.63±1.99 mg/L,P<0.0 1).Resistin,blood pressure,age,LDLC,high-sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) were the major risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis by Logistic.The level of resistin was positively correlated with cartiod IMT,plaque scores,LDLC and hs-CRP in plasma,and the pearson cofficient were 0.22,0.24,0.17,0.25(P<0.05).Conclusion The resistin level increases in cerebral infarction group,and the resistin may be the risk factor of carotid atherosclerosis.