Aim To investigate the relationship between serum oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods112 cases of acute anterior circulation cerebral infarction were selected as the cerebral infarction group, 49 cases of healthy persons were as control group, and all of them underwent carotid artery ultrasound examination. According to the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), cerebral infarction group was divided into IMT normal group, IMT thickening group and plaque group. According to the plaque echo characteristics, plaque group was divided into strong echo plaque group, mixed echo plaque group and low echo plaque group. Serum levels of ox-LDL and MCP-1 were compared between cerebral infarction group and control group, and among different types of cerebral infarction subgroups. Results The serum levels of ox-LDL and MCP-1 in the cerebral infarction group were higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05). The serum levels of ox-LDL and MCP-1 in the plaque group were higher than those in the IMT normal group and the IMT thickening group (P＜0.05). The serum levels of ox-LDL and MCP-1 in the low echo plaque group were higher than those in the strong echo plaque group and the mixed echo plaque group (P＜0.05). Conclusion In patients with cerebral infarction, the higher the serum levels of ox-LDL and MCP-1, the higher the degree of CAS, the higher the incidence of plaque, and the majority of low echo plaque.