Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating severe pneumonia complicated with gastrointestinal dysfunction (GIDF).Method Sixty patients with severe pneumonia complicated with GIDF were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The two groups were both given conventional Western medications. In addition, the treatment group was intervened by acupuncture, and the control group by oral administration of Mosapride citrate capsules and enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube. After 7-day treatment, the changes of GIDF score, intraabdominal pressure, bowel sound and gastric retention were observed in the two groups, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The total effective rate was 93.1% in the treatment group versus 78.6% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The scores of GIDF and the indexes (intraabdominal pressure, bowel sound, and gastric retention) were significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (P<0.05). The scores of GIDF and the indexes in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group after the intervention (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function in severe pneumonia patients, since it can significantly improve the intraabdominal pressure, bowel sound and gastric retention.