Effects of early oral feeding after radical total gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients

Table 3 Comparison of postoperative clinical data between the two groups

Group	EOF group, n = 105	Control group, n = 101	t value	P value
Postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery
First exhaust time, d	2.48 ± 1.17	3.37 ± 1.42	-63;4.46	0.001
First defecation time, d	3.83 ± 2.41	5.32 ± 2.70	-63;3.76	0.004
Postoperative hospitalization and expenses
Postoperative hospital stay, d	5.85 ± 1.53	7.71 ± 1.56	-63;5.32	< 0.001
Hospitalization expenses, K¥	16.60 ± 5.10	21.00 ± 7.50	-63;3.55	0.014
Postoperative nutritional status on the 5th day after surgery
Postoperative PALB, mg/L	214.52 ± 22.47	204.17 ± 20.62	2.85	0.018
Postoperative ALB, g/L	36.24 ± 5.93	35.16 ± 4.78	1.744	0.079
Postoperative gastrointestinal hormone level on the 5th day after surgery
Postoperative serum gastrin, ng/L	246.30 ± 57.10	223.60 ± 55.70	7.405	0.001
Postoperative serum motilin, ng/L	424.60 ± 68.30	409.30 ± 61.70	6.946	0.002
Tolerance of oral feeding after surgery
Abdominal distension	8	6
Postoperative nausea	10	9
Reinsertion of nasogastric tube1	4	3
Total, %	22 (20.95)	18 (17.82)	0.664	0.507

¹Annotation: Patients with abdominal distension or nausea and reinsertion of nasogastric tube. EOF: Early oral feeding; PALB: Prealbumin; ALB: Albumin.