Background:Diagnosing diabetic nephropathy is important to prevent long-term kidney damage and determine the prognosis of patients with diabetes. Since some kidney injury biomarkers increase in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, this study investigated the clinical significance of combined detection of urine orosomucoid and retinol-binding protein for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy.Methods:We included 72 patients with type 2 diabetes and 34 healthy persons between August 2016 and July 2018 at our hospital. Using the Mogensen grading criteria, participants were classified as having diabetes or diabetic nephropathy, and healthy persons constituted the control group. Urine orosomucoid and retinol-binding protein levels were measured and correlated with other variables.Results:Increase in renal damage raised urinary orosomucoid levels gradually (P<0.05). Urinary retinol-binding protein and microalbumin levels were significantly higher in the diabetes group than in control and nephropathy groups. Orosomucoid and retinol-binding protein might be independent risk factors for diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. Urinary orosomucoid significantly correlated with retinol-binding protein and microalbumin levels (r = 0.489 and 0.513, respectively) in the diabetic nephropathy group. The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded a sensitivity, specificity, and correction index of 0.941, 0.842, and 0.783, respectively, while analysis for retinol-binding protein yielded a sensitivity, specificity, and correction index of 0.942, 1.000, and 0.941, respectively.Conclusion:The increase in urine orosomucoid and retinol-binding protein levels can be detected in the early stages of type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, both markers are important for diabetic nephropathy detection and early treatment.