Objective To assess the effect and safety of clinical nutritional supplementation with different patterns for treating systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from MEDLINE (1996 to Nov. 2004), EMBASE (1984 to Nov. 2002), Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Issue 4, 2004), Chinese Cochrane Centre Database (Issue 4, 2004), CBMdisc (1978 to Nov. 2004). We handsearched related published and unpublished data and their references. All RCTs of nutritional interventions for SIRS were included. Data were extracted and evaluated by two reviewers independently with designed extraction form. RevMan 4.2.7 software was used for data analysis. Results Six RCTs involving 353 patients were included. All the results of meta-analysis were listed as the following: ① Mortality: compared with routine nutrition, one study showed that glutamine had a statistical difference with RR 0.67 and 95%CI 0.31 to 1.32. Compared with no treatment, one study showed selenium had a statistical difference with RR 1.19, 95%CI 0.59 to 2.41. ② Compared with routine nutrition, one study showed that glutamine had a statistical difference on reducing the ratio of nasocomial infection of SIRS with RR 0.5, 95%CI 0.27 to 0.91, but had no statistical difference on reducing the ratio of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome with RR 1.53, 95%CI 0.64 to 3.66. ③ Improvement of the critical condition of SIRS: compared with routine nutrition, one study showed that glutamine had a statistical differences with WMD 4.0, 95%CI 2.36 to 5.64; compared with high calorie intake, two studies showed low calorie intake had a statistical difference with WMD 4.9, 95%CI 1.76 to 8.04. ④ Reduction of the complication of hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia: compared with high calorie intake, one study showed low calorie intake had statistical difference with WMD －0.70, 95%CI －1.20 to －0.20 and WMD －1.80, 95% CI －2.42 to －1.16 respectively and all P≤0.01. ⑤ Increasing of the plasma IgG concentration: compared with routine nutrition, two studies showed that glutamine had a statistical difference with WMD 4.20, 95% CI 2.23 to 6.16. ⑥ Increasing of the nitrogen balance, intestinal permeability, the level of plasma concentration of anlbumin, prealbumin and TRF: compared with control interventions, glutamine, low calorie intake, selenium supplementation and fructose-glucose-xylitol mixture showed no statistical difference. Conclusions Glutamine, low calorie intake, selenium supplementation, FGX mixture may decrease the complication of infection or metabolism and be better than the controlled interventions; but there is no benefit on reducing the rate of death result from SIRS compared with controlled interventions. The evidence of most RCTs with poor quality is too weak to draw a conclusion. More high quality trials are required.