XDH and brain ischemia: Patients with ischemic encephalopathy have significantly higher expression of XOR in the macrophages of carotid atherosclerotic plaques; in addition, the overexpression of XOR activity in macrophages is associated with low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and co-occurs with the formation of cholesterol crystals in atheroma and the inflammatory response of macrophages [50].