Objective: To investigate the predictive value of thromboelastography (TEG) for early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology, Jiujiang Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University from January 2018 to May 2019 were included as case group, and the healthy physical examinees in the same period were selected as control group. END was defined as an increase of ≥2 of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score from baseline within 7 d after the onset of acute ischemic stroke. All subjects were routinely tested for traditional coagulation function, including prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and plasma fibrinogen level. The reaction time (R value), coagulation time (K value), coagulation angle (α) and maximum amplitude (MA value) were monitored by TEG. Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory results between the END group and the non-END group, and then multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for END. Results: A total of 96 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 20 controls were included. Compared with the control group, the traditional coagulation parameters of the case group were not significantly different. For the TEG parameter, compared with the control group, the R value and K value of the case group were significantly shortened, and the α angle and MA value were significantly increased (all P<0.05). A total of 31 patients (32.3%) developed END, and the R and K values in the END group were significantly shorter than those in the non-END group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that R value (odds ratio 1.192, 95% confidence interval 1.006-1.410; P=0.001) and K value (odds ratio 1.054, 95% confidence interval 1.012-1.150; P=0.001) shortening were the independent predictors of END. Conclusion The sensitivity of TEG in the monitoring of coagulation function in patients with acute ischemic stroke is higher than that of traditional coagulation indicators. The shortenings of R and K values are independent predictor of END in patients with acute ischemic stroke.