Both stroke and non‐stroke patients with unstable plaques had higher serum MMP‐9 levels (for stroke patients: 175.2 [133–261]ng/mL; non‐stroke patients: 217.9 [123–304]ng/mL; p < 0.0001) than those without stable atherosclerotic plaque (for stroke patients: 68.74 [43–87]ng/mL; non‐stroke patients: 65.94 [42–168]ng/mL; p < 0.001), Table 2. Here, MMP9 is linked to stroke disorder.