Objective To analyze the role of resistin in insulin resistance （IR） through investigating the variation of plasma resistin levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） in resistin gene 5’ flanking region in stroke patients.Methods In 103 atherothrombotic cerebral infarction （ACI） patients

85 lacunar infarction （LI） patients

70 intracerebral hemorrhage （ICH） patients

and 86 healthy controls

plasma resistin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA

SNPs in resistin gene 5’ flanking region were detected by PCR and direct DNA sequencing. The subjects’ body height and weight

the body mass index

quantitative insulin sensitivity check index （QUICKI）

blood pressure

and the concentration of fasting plasma glucose

triglyceride

total cholesterol

creatinine

low-density lipoprotein

and high-density lipoprotein were also determined. Results QUICKI was significantly lower in the ACI and ICH patients （0.316±0.037 and 0.309±0.032

respectively） than that in the controls （0.342±0.043

P<0.001）

while plasma resistin level was significantly higher in the ACI and ICH patients （6.36±3.79 and 7.15±4.27 ng/mL

respectively） than that in the controls （5.28±2.56 ng/mL

P<0.05）

but such difference was not observed in the LI patients compared with controls. There was a statistically negative correlation between plasma resistin level with QUICKI （r=-0.228

P<0.001）. The distributions of allele and genotype frequencies of resistin gene -420C>G and -537A>C SNPs were not significantly different among the different groups

and those SNPs were not correlated with other clinical and biochemical parameters.Conclusions Plasma resistin is associated with stroke by participating in the development of IR. The SNPs in resistin gene 5’ flanking region has no impact on the plasma resistin level.