Effect of intradermal needle therapy at combined acupoints on patients’ gastrointestinal function following surgery for gastrointestinal tumors

Table 2 Demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline (n = 64)

Variable	mean ± SD or n (%)		t /x2	P value
	Intervention group (n = 32)	Control group (n = 32)
Age (years)	65 ± 9.3	61 ± 10.6	1.696	0.10
Gender
Male	18 (56.3)	19 (59.4)	0.064	0.80
Female	14 (43.8)	13 (40.6)
Education level			0.309	0.86
Middle school or below	12 (37.5)	11 (34.4)
High school or junior college	12 (37.5)	11 (34)
Baccalaureate or above	8 (25.0)	10 (31.3)
Occupations1			3.442	0.50
Farmer	12 (37.5)	12 (37.5)
Worker	4 (12.5)	2 (6.3)
Government official	1 (3.1)	5 (15.6)
Retiree	12 (37.5)	10 (31.3)
Other	3 (9.4)	3 (9.4)
Residence			0.000	1.00
Rural areas	12 (37.5)	12 (37.5)
Urban areas	20 (62.5)	20 (62.5)
Marital status1			0.408	1.00
Married	28 (87.5)	27 (84.4)
Widowed	2 (6.3)	2 (6.3)
Divorced	2 (6.3)	3 (9.4)
Smoking			0.080	0.78
Yes	8 (25.0)	9 (28.1)
No	24 (75.0)	23 (71.9)
Drinking1			0.554	0.83
Often	8 (25.0)	8 (25.0)
Occasionally	18 (56.2)	20 (62.5)
Never	6 (18.8)	4 (12.5)
Cancer types1			1.059	0.64
Gastric cancer	12 (37.5)	16 (50.0)
Colon cancer	14 (43.7)	11 (34.4)
Rectal cancer	6 (18.8)	5 (15.6)
Pathological type1			0.75	0.71
Adenocarcinoma	27 (84.4)	29 (90.6)
Squamous cell carcinoma	5 (15.6)	3 (9.4)
Stages of disease1			0.877	0.67
Ⅰ	2 (6.3)	1 (3.1)
Ⅱ	21 (65.6)	24 (75.0)
Ⅲ	9 (28.1)	7 (21.9)
Surgical approach			0.577	0.45
Traditional radical resection	20 (62.5)	17 (53.1)
Laparoscopy	12 (37.5)	15 (46.9)

¹Fisher’s exact test.