ObjectiveTo explore effect of preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on clinically related postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after distal pancreatectomy (DP) and analyze its influencing factors in order to provide a basis for clinical prediction of CR-POPF. MethodsThe clinicopathologic data of patients who successfully completed DP in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study from January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2021 were collected retrospectively. The preoperative PNI value was calculated and the optimal cut-off value was obtained according to the receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve. The patients were divided into low and high PNI based on the optimal cut-off value. The clinicopathologic characteristics were compared between the patients with low and high PNI and CR-POPF or not. At the same time, multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of CR-POPF. ResultsA total of 143 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this study. The CR-POPF occurred in 33 cases (23.08%) after DP, and the average preoperative PNI was 52.26 (39.20–65.10), the optimal cut-off value of PNI was 50.55, with 49 cases in the low PNI group and 94 cases in the high PNI group. In patient with low PNI, the proportions of patients aged ≥65 years and with CR-POPF were higher than those with high PNI (P<0.05). In the patients with CR-POPF, the proportions of patients with soft pancreatic texture and with low preoperative PIN were higher than those without CR-POPF (P<0.05). Further, the multivariate logistic regression showed that the the preoperative low PNI (OR=5.417, P<0.001) and soft pancreatic texture (OR=4.126, P=0.002) increased the risk of CR-POPF. ConclusionLow preoperative PNI and soft pancreatic texture increase risk of CR-POPF after DP, and it is necessary to preoperatively evaluate PNI status of patients.