AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous glutamine on the patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).METHODS: The Cochrane Library, Pub Med, EMBASE, and EBM review databases were searched up to June 2012. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) that compared non-glutamine nutrition with intravenous glutamine supplemented nutrition in patients with SAP were included. A method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration was used to perform a meta-analysis of those RCTs. RESULTS: Four RCTs involving a total of 190 participants were included. Analysis of these RCTs revealed the presence of statistical homogeneity among them. Results showed that glutamine dipeptide has a positive effect in reducing the mortality rate(OR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.09-0.73, P = 0.01), length of hospital stay(weighted mean difference =-4.85, 95%CI: 6.67--3.03, P < 0.001), and the rate of complications(OR = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.22-0.78, P = 0.006). No serious adverse effects were found.CONCLUSION: Current best evidence demonstrates that glutamine is effective for SAP. Further high quality trials are required and parameters of nutritional condition and hospital cost should be considered in future RCTs with sufficient size and rigorous design. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous glutamine on the patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: The Cochrane Library, Pub Med, EMBASE, and EBM review databases were searched up to June 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared Non-glutamine nutrition with intravenous glutamine supplemented nutrition in patients with SAP were included. A method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration was used to perform a meta-analysis of those RCTs. RESULTS: Four RCTs involving a total of 190 participants were included. Analysis of These RCTs revealed the presence of statistical homogeneity among them. The results showed that glutamine dipeptide had a positive effect in reducing the mortality rate (OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.09-0.73, P = 0.01) difference = complications (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.22-0.78, P = 0.006). No serious adverse effects were found. CONCLUSION Current best evidence demonstr ates that glutamine is effective for SAP. Further high quality trials are required and parameters of nutritional condition and hospital cost should be considered in the future RCTs with sufficient size and rigorous design.