Abstract: Objective: To investigate the correlation of serum retinol-binding protein 4(RBP4) and diabetic retinopathy(DR) of elderly type 2 diabetic patients.Methods:Two hundred and ten patients,who were 60 years or elder,with type 2 diabetes were investigated,102 cases without DR and 108 cases with DR were divided into the control and observation group(namely T2DM and DR group),respectively.According to the degree of fundus lesions,DR group were subdivided into non-proliferative stage group (NPDR group,69 cases) and proliferative stage group(PDR group,33 cases).The clinical parameters and biochemical indicators of T2DM ＆ DR group and NPDR ＆ PDR group were compared.The independent risk factors of DR were analysed by logistic regression.Results:Compared with the T2DM and NPDR group,the disease course,the levels of fasting blood glucose,HbA1c and RBP4 of DR group prolonged and increased significantly(P0.01 and P0.05).The results of logistic regression showed that the disease course,the levels of HbA1c and RBP4 were independent risk factors of DR(P0.01).Conclusions:The disease course of diabetes,HbA1c and RBP are three independent risk factors of DR.