To investigate the expression level and correlation of serum inflammatory cytokines in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction. Methods Elderly patients over 65 years old who were diagnosed with cerebral infarction in the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2022 to October 2022 were enrolled, and the patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had type 2 diabetes. The age, gender and other clinical data of patients, biochemical indicators, arterial intima-media thickness and related inflammatory indicators were collected to analyze the relationship between various factors and type 2 diabetes complicated with cerebral infarction. Results The levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-x(TNF-α) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) in type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction were higher than those in simple cerebral infarction group, while the level of IL-10 were lower than that in simple cerebral infarction group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The expression levels of pro- inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-17 were positively correlated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), while the levels of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 were negatively correlated with IMT, and the correlation between some pro-inflammatory factors, anti-inflammatory factors and IMT was higher in type 2 diabetes patients complicated with cerebral infarction than that in the simple cerebral infarction group. Conclusions Compared with the simple cerebral infarction group, the levels of pro- inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-17 in type 2 diabetes patients with cerebral infarction are increased, which are risk factors associated with this disease, while the level of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 in type 2 diabetes patients with cerebral infarction is decreased, which may be the protective factor related to this disease. These indicators should be detected and controlled clinically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]