Table 1.

Clinicopathological data of radical gastrectomy patients and diagnosed with PPOI followed by ST36 acupuncture, ST36 acupoint injection, intramuscular injection or standard therapy. * ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Variable	Acupuncture (n = 59)	Acupoint injection (n = 67)	Intramuscular injection (n = 67)	Standard therapy (n = 53)	P value
Age, yr					0.380
≥ 64	33	37	41	24
< 64	26	30	26	29
Gender					0.664
Male	38	50	46	37
Female	21	17	21	16
Method of surgery					0.839
Prox. gastrectomy	3	9	7	5
Distal gastrectomy	35	35	37	28
Total gastrectomy	21	23	23	20
Educational background					0.235
None or primary school	15	32	28	20
Secondary school	34	24	27	24
University degree or above	10	11	12	9
Body mass index, kg/m2					0.158
< 18.5	3	15	9	6
18.5-25	33	26	31	25
> 25	23	26	27	22
ASA fitness grade*					0.102
I	31	53	42	36
II	27	13	24	16
III	1	1	1	1
Type of surgery					0.826
Laparoscopically assisted	10	14	15	9
Open	49	53	52	44
Surgical time, min	180.76 ± 12.68	181.90 ± 11.81	182.55 ± 9.90	180.87 ± 8.19	0.767
Anemia state					0.235
Without anemia	5	12	3	4
Mild anemia	41	40	50	37
Moderate anemia	13	15	14	12
Opioid analgesia use					0.184
No	7	12	18	12
Yes	52	55	49	41