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BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsThe Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) has been described as a useful screening tool for patient prognosis in several diseases. As a potential diagnostic index, it has attracted the interest of many physicians. However, the correlation between the PNI and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) remains unclear.A total of 285 patients with acute ischemic stroke were included. PNI was assessed as serum albumin (g/L) + 5× lymphocyte count (109/L) and was dichotomized according to the prespecified cut-off points 48.43 for the high and low groups. PSCI was defined as Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) < 27 at the 6–10 months follow-up. Multiple logistic regression and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the association between PNI and cognitive outcomes.A low PNI was independently associated with PSCI after adjusting for age, sex, education, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), deep white matter hyperintensity (DWMH), and stroke history (odds ratio [OR]: 2.158; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.205–3.863). The PNI scores were significantly associated with MMSE and attention domain (β = 0.113, p = 0.006; β = 0.109, p = 0.041, respectively). The PNI improved the model’s discrimination when added to the model with other clinical risk factors.A low PNI was independently associated with the occurrence of PSCI and the PNI scores were specifically associated with the scores of global cognition and attention domain. It can be a promising and straightforward screening indicator to identify the person with impaired immune-nutritional status at higher risk of PSCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]