Predictive value of serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 combined with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 for post-stroke cognitive impairment

•Serum levels of MMP 9 and TIMP 1 in PSCI patients were negatively correlated with MoCA scores at the end of the 3-month follow-up.•Serum MMP 9 and TIMP 1 levels in stroke patients were statistically predictive of PSCI.•MMP 9 and TIMP 1 were elevated in PSCI patients on admission relative to non-PSCI groups. Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Identifying early predictors of PSCI to realize timely intervention of PSCI can provide effective information for patient rehabilitation and follow-up treatment, and has important clinical significance for delaying its progression to dementia. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to assess patients' cognitive and neurological function separately. ELISA was used to analyze serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP 1) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP 9) levels of patients on admission. 180 patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke (AIS) were included in the study. After three months of follow-up, 78 patients were diagnosed with PSCI, and 102 patients did not have PSCI. MMP 9 and TIMP 1 were elevated in PSCI patients on admission relative to non-PSCI groups, and they were positively correlated with patients' NIHSS scores on admission (p