C-reactive protein （CRP） is the most sensitive indicator of acute phase proteins. A growing body of evidence suggests that atherosclerosis, as a main cause of cerebral infarction, is a chronic inflammatory process, The present studies have found that the CRP levels and genetic polymorphisms are associated with atherosclerosis and cerebral infarction. As compared with coronary artery disease, the association between high-sensitive CRP and ischemic stroke is more closely, This article reviews the advances in research on the biological characteristics of CRP, the factors influencing CRP levels, the CRP levels and the correlation between genetic polymorphisms and cerebral infarction.