Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods We searched electronic databases as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, SinoMed, WanFang Data, and VIP from inception to June 2021.Then meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4 software. Results Thirteen studies involving 508 patients were included. Compared with the control group, HIIT could increase VO2 peak, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV-1), forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV-1/FVC), and 6-min walking distance, but decrease the St George′s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score (P＜0.05,P＜0.01）. Conclusion HIIT can improve cardiopulmonary function and exercise capacity of COPD patients, and to a certain extent, enhance health-related qua-lity of life.