·AIM: To examine the association between high density lipoprotein ( HDL) 3 cholesterol, nitrite plus nitrate ( NOx) and total antioxidant status in diabetic retinopathy patients compared to controls.·METHODS:This was a prospective, case-control study. One hundred and six participants were subdivided into three groups. Eighty-four type 2 diabetes patients with and without retinopathy and 22 healthy controls were included in this study. Serum HDL3 concentrations were assayed and serum NOx levels were determined in all patients. Total antioxidant capacity was measured using the ferric reducing power of plasma ( FRAP) assay.·RESULTS: Among the subjects with diabetes mellitus (DM), fasting glucose, HbA1c and triglycerides were significantly higher than the healthy controls. HDL3 level was 14. 4 ( 12. 0 ) mg/dl in healthy subjects, 18. 1 ( 12. 6 ) mg/dl in the diabetic retinopathy group and 14. 0 (12. 5) mg/dl in diabetic patients without retinopathy, and was statistically similar between the groups (P=0. 262). HDL level was similar between groups in our population. FRAP level was lower in patients with DM compared to healthy controls (P=0. 003), but was not different between the DR and the non-DR groups (P=0. 913).·CONCLUSION:In our study, we demonstrated that HDL and HDL3 subgroup levels didn't significantly differ between DM2 patients with DR and without DR and healthy controls. Determination of HDL3 cholesterol, in addition to total HDL cholesterol, may not predict the actual risk for diabetic retinopathy. Serum NOx was observed to be higher in diabetic participants and FRAP level was low.