BACKGROUND The goal of the present study was to determine whether endothelin-1 (EDN1) variants are associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk among Chinese Han people. MATERIAL AND METHODS The genotyping of EDN1 rs5370 and rs6458155 polymorphisms were conducted in 154 ICH patients and 168 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Deviation for genotype frequencies in controls from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was assessed. The genotype and allele distribution of EDN1 polymorphisms was checked via χ² test between 2 groups. Strength of the association between EDN1 polymorphisms and ICH risk is presented by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS Genotype distribution for rs5370 and rs6458155 polymorphisms in the control group both conformed to HWE (P>0.05). Only CC genotype and C allele frequencies of rs6458155 between ICH patients and healthy individuals were significantly different (P=0.025; P=0.043), indicating rs64581255 is associated with increased ICH onset (OR=2.214, 95% CI=1.009-4.461; OR=1.389, 95% CI=1.010-1.910). When adjusted by confounding factors, the significant correlations still existed between 2 groups (P=0.028, adjusted OR=2.217, 95% CI=1.092-4.500; P=0.046, adjusted OR=1.386, 95% CI=1.005-1.910). CONCLUSIONS EDN1 rs64581aEDN1 rs6458155 polymorphism may be a risk factor of ICH among Chinese Han people.55 polymorphism may be a risk factor of ICH among Chinese Han people.