The purpose of the study was to examine the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) in the first 48 h of disease as well as the relationship of this biomarker with the severity of neurological symptoms of stroke. We studied 44 patients with acute IS. The control group consisted of 12 healthy volunteers. Plasma levels of VEGF were determined by ELISA. The study demonstrated the prognostic significance of VEGF for the clinical outcome of acute IS. The high level of VEGF in the first 48 h of stroke was associated with mild neurological deficit at discharge from the hospital (p=0,006). At the same time, a number of risk factors was associated with the low VEGF level at the onset of IS: extracranial stenosis 30% (p<0,001), angina pectoris (p=0,01) and postinfarction cardiosclerosis (p=0,049). It could be assumed that the high concentration of VEGF at IS is associated with the stimulation of neoangiogenesis and recovery processes that leads to a significant restoration of disturbed neurologic function and, consequently, to a favorable clinical outcome in acute cerebral infarction.