Adiponectin – the peptide with anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antiatherogenic effects, is secreted specifically from adipose tissue. Despite adipose tissue is only source of adiponectin, paradoxically its plasma level decreases in obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the lowering of plasma adiponectin level and presence of ischaemic stroke. To this study were qualified 72 patients with early ischaemic stroke and 29 referents without cerebrovascular diseases. In stroke group we evaluated neurological deficit according to NIHSS, in 1st and 7th day of hospitalization. In every patient we examined: anthropometric parameters (BMI, WC, WHR), blood (adiponectin concentration, lipid pattern, glucose level). On the basis of these parameters we diagnosed the presence of metabolic syndrome according to NCEP 2005. Ultrasonographic scanning of the carotid artery was performed in every patient to evaluate CIMT. There was no significance difference between stroke group and referents. Adiponectin level was significantly lower in patients with hypertension, hyperglycaemia, presence of metabolic syndrome, and abdominal obesity. Adiponectin was negatively correlated with hypertriglyceridaemia and positively correlated with HDL-cholesterol. In this study we did not find association between adiponectin level and CIMT. There was correlation between hypoadiponectinemia and high score of NIHSS. Adiponectin does not have direct association with ischaemic stroke, but rather is the marker of states which predispose to cerebrovascular diseases. The conclusions that adiponectin is the independent marker of stroke are probably premature.