In view of the vital role of HO-1 in vascular protection, here we aimed, especially in those stroke patients with no history of cerebro- or cardio-vascular events, to examine the association between the risk of ischemic stroke and the length of the (GT)n repeats of the HO-1 gene promoter under several vascular conditions: hypertension, diabetes, lipids abnormality and smoking. Here, HMOX1 is linked to diabetes mellitus.