Results from logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, vascular risk factors, and stroke subtype, revealed a significant association between higher VEGF concentrations and a 1.64‐fold increased odds of incident DWI‐positive lesions identified between baseline and 1‐year follow up (OR per 1 SD increase in VEGF = 1.64; 95% CI:1.04, 2.62). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is Stroke.