ObjectiveTo explore the role of nutritional support in adjuvant therapy for respiratory failure. MethodsWe took 72 patients with respiratory failure who were treated in our hospital from August 2011 to January 2013 as the research objects. They were divided into two groups:control group and trial group, with 36 patients in each group. The division of the groups was in accordance with the state food and drug administration clinical trial institution ethics committee standard operating procedures. In the control group, 36 patients were provided with regular treatments according to their condition, like maintaining the respiratory tract unobstructed, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation and anti-infection. In the trial group, we offered nutritional support in addition to the normal treatment. Consecutive 20 days was a course of treatment. After four courses, we inspected and put down two groups' respective clinical features, and made a contrast of their treatment conditions. We analyzed the treatments through observational indexes including assessment of eutrophication, treatment efficiency, pulmonary function and arterial blood gases. ResultsBoth groups had obvious therapeutic effects. The observational indexes in the trial group were better than those in the control group. The total effective rate was 91.7% in the trail group after treatment, significantly higher than that in the control group (66.7%) (χ2=8.692, P=0.003); the lung capacity, the ventilation flow ratio and arterial blood gas analysis values in the trial group was better than those in the control group. ConclusionThe effect of the nutritional support for the respiratory failure treatment is much better than the regular treatment. The total effective rate is improved while the death rate is lower than before and the patients recover quickly.