Objective To study the association between serum level of high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1) and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Methods A total of 35 infants with NRDS and 35 normal neonates (control group) were enrolled. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected with 12-24 hours after birth. ELISA was used to measure the serum level of HMGB1. Results The infants with mild and severe NRDS had a significantly higher serum level of HMGB1 than the control group (P < 0.05). The infants with severe NRDS had a significantly higher serum level of HMGB1 than those with mild NRDS (P < 0.05). The infants with NRDS who died had a significantly higher serum level of HMGB1 than those who survived (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the optimal cut-off value for serum level of HMGB1 to predict NRDS was 625.3 pg/mL with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.846 (95%CI:0.755-0.936), and the optimal cut-off value for serum level of HMGB1 to predict the death of infants with NRDS was 772.2 pg/mL with an AUC of 0.916 (95%CI:0.813-1.000). Conclusions Infants with NRDS have a significant increase in the serum level of HMGB1, and the serum level of HMGB1 can well predict the development and prognosis of NRDS.