Of 21 MMP-2 SNPs, six were associated with stroke outcome at three months under a log-additive model (0.0018<P < 0.0415) after adjusting for the significant covariates in a multivariate model: history of hypertension, type of stroke, occurrence of aphasia, paresis, consciousness disturbance and medical complications during hospitalization (Table 2; see Additional file 1). Here, MMP2 is linked to Aphasia.