Abstract： Objective To evaluate the clinical value of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV) treatment in acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by acute pancreatitis. Methods A retrospective study of 27 cases, with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by acute paucreatitis,who were admitted to our department from Jan 2007 to May 2010 and treated with NPPV, was performed. The changes of heart rate, respiratory rate, PaO2, oxygenation index (OI) and PaCO2 before and after treatment were compared. Results The heart rate, respiratory rate of 25(92.6％ ) patients decreased from (118.4 ±13.4)/min, (32.1 ± 1.7)/min to ( 81.9 + 8.5 )/min, ( 19.9 ± 2.1 )/min; PaO2, OI and PaCO2 increased from (74.1 ±5.0)mmHg, (148.2 +10.0)mmHg, (28.7 ±1.6)mmHg to (110.4 ±20.8)mmHg, (204.5±71.1)mmHg, (38.4 +3.6)mmHg 48 h after NPPV, respectively, and they recovered and were transited to oxygen supply by Venturi mask. 2 (7.4％) patients deteriorated and were transited to invasive positive-pressure ventilation support. Conclusions NPPV could effectively improve oxygenation of patients with ARDS caused by acute pancreatitis. The procedure of NPPV is relatively easy to use and to learn with few complications, and worth of clinical application.