The association between plasma soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 and cognitive impairment after acute ischemic stroke

•Data of 599 acute ischemic stroke patients in the CATIS trail were used.•Elevated plasma sTREM2 levels in the short-term phase of ischemic stroke were associated with 3-month cognitive impairment, independently of established risk factors.•Plasma sTREM2 has potential value in predicting cognitive impairment after ischemic stroke. Previous researches have suggested that soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) plays a pivotal role in central nervous system pathologies and the development of neurodegenerative disorders. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the association between plasma sTREM2 levels and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). A sample of 599 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with sTREM2 measurements from the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke were eventually included in this analysis. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of