After adjusting for all potential confounders (age, hypertension, smoking status, previous ischemic stroke, previous stain therapy, and level of triglyceride, HCY, and HbA1c), GPx3 activity in the first tertile (third tertile used as the reference value) was identified as an independent risk factor of carotid plaque (odds ratio, 1.870, 95% confidence intervals, 1.124–3.669, p = .024). The gene discussed is GPX3; the disease is ischemic stroke.