Objective  To investigate the relationship between leukocyte count and poor short-term prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and to provide references for prevention and control of AIS.

  Methods  We recruited 1 591 AIS patients hospitalized in five hospitals in Liaoning province (the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, two municipal hospitals in Anshan and Dandong city, and two county hospitals in Liaoyang and Dawa county) between January 1st and August 31st, 2015.Then we analyzed the association of white blood cell count at hospital admission with treatment outcome after hospital discharge retrospectively.

  Results  For all the participants at 3- to 6-month after the hospital discharge, the average modified Rankin scale (mRS) score was 1.47 ± 1.79; 1 219 (76.6 %) were cured without disabilities; 284 cases (17.9 %) had disabilities; 88 (5.5 %) died; and totally 372 (23.4 %) were identified with poor short-term prognosis. Multivariate unconditioned logistic regression analysis results revealed that compared to the participants with the white blood cell count (WBC) of less than 5.30 × 10⁹/L at hospital admission, those with the WBC of 6.50 – 8.09 × 10⁹/L and ≥ 8.10 × 10⁹/Lhad a 2.382 times (odds ratio OR = 2.382, 95 % confidence interval 95 % CI = 2.382 – 3.925) and 2.531 times (OR = 2.531, 95 % CI = 2.531 – 4.069) higher risk of having poor short-term prognosis after adjusting for gender, age, AIS history , and serum cystatin C level.

  Conclusion  Leukocyte count level at hospital admission is an independent risk factor for poor short-term prognosis among acute ischemic stroke inpatients.