In the patient group as a whole, plasma levels of MMP-7 were positively correlated with markers of inflammation (CRP, r = 0.15; p = 0.05 and fibrinogen, r = 0.34; p = 0.005), hypertension (r = 0.20; p = 0.007), triglycerides (r = 0.21; p<0.05) and the presence of recent ischemia on cerebral MRI (r = 0.24; p = 0.005), and inversely correlated with HDL cholesterol (r = −0.20; p<0.05). The gene discussed is MMP7; the disease is ischemia.