After adjustment for age, and at the onset of stroke, whether the patient lived alone, was independent of activities of daily living, was orientated, was able to lift his/her arms or walk, the odds ratios were attenuated for the association with poor outcome (top versus bottom third: IL-6, OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.9–5.0; CRP, OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2–3.1; fibrinogen, OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0–2.4; white cell count, OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.4; and glucose OR: 1.3, 95%, CI: 0.8–2.1) and death (unpublished data). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is Stroke.