Table 1.
Patient demographic and baseline data
| Variable | MZRW group (n = 30) |
Placebo group (n = 30) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 72.83 (12.24) | 77.50 (10.49) | .118 |
| Womena, n (%) | 17 (56.67%) | 12 (40.00%) | .196 |
| TCM patterns | |||
| Qi deficiency pattern, n (%) | 21 (70.00%) | 23 (76.67%) | .559 |
| Other patterns | |||
| Yin Deficiency, n (%) | 4 (13.33%) | 3 (10.00%) | NA |
| Yang Deficiency, n (%) | 4 (13.33%) | 3 (10.00%) | NA |
| Heat, n (%) | 1 (3.33%) | 0 (0) | NA |
| Blood Deficiency, n (%) | 0 (0) | 1 (3.33%) | NA |
| Palliative Performance Scale, mean (SD) | 68.67 (8.90) | 66.33 (6.69) | .256 |
| No. of stool opening/week, mean (SD) | 4.33 (2.96) | 4.40 (3.82) | .940 |
| Bristol stool typeb, mean (SD) | 2.63 (1.63) | 3.17 (1.72) | .223 |
| Severity of constipationc, mean (SD) | 4.73 (1.19) | 4.90 (1.17) | .586 |
| Individual constipation related symptomsd | |||
| Sensation of straining, mean (SD) | 3.82 (1.30) | 3.78 (1.40) | .924 |
| Incomplete evacuation, mean (SD) | 3.12 (1.92) | 2.97 (2.11) | .775 |
| Bloating, mean (SD) | 2.23 (2.10) | 2.03 (1.94) | .703 |
| Abdominal pain/cramping, mean (SD) | 1.23 (1.63) | 1.33 (1.81) | .823 |
| Nausea, mean (SD) | 1.58 (1.88) | 0.70 (1.42) | .044 |
| Passing of gas, mean (SD) | 2.77 (1.77) | 2.87 (1.82) | .830 |
| Prescription of strong opioids, n (%) | 9 (42.86%) | 8 (36.36%) | 1.000 |
aP value based on Pearson chi−square test method
bBristol stool type was measured as 1−7point ranging from “separate hard lumps” to “watery”
cSeverity of constipation were assessed as 0−7points ranging from not at all to very severe
dIndividual constipation related symptoms were assessed as 0−6points ranging from not at all to very severe