Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in adult patients receiving gastrectomy/colorectal resection: A randomized controlled trial

Table 1 Demographic and baseline characteristics of the study population

Characteristic	Perioperative TEAS, n = 118	Preoperative and intraoperative TEAS, n = 122	Preoperative and postoperative TEAS, n = 82	Sham stimulation, n = 83
Mean age in yr	59.0 ± 10.6	57.6 ± 10.1	58.0 ± 10.6	59.2 ± 9.7
Male sex, n (%)	75 (63.6)	72 (59.0)	50 (61)	50 (60.2)
Mean BMI, kg/m2	23.2 ± 3.0	23.1 ± 3.0	23.2 ± 3.0	23.3 ± 3.2
Type of surgery, n (%)
Gastrectomy	50 (42.4)	52 (42.6)	33 (40.2)	35 (42.2)
Colorectal surgery	68 (57.6)	70 (57.4)	49 (59.8)	48 (57.8)

BMI: Body mass index; TEAS: Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation.

Table 2 Nausea numerical rating scale score on postoperative day 1–3 after surgery

POD		Perioperative TEAS, n = 108	Preoperative and intraoperative TEAS, n = 106	Preoperative and postoperative TEAS, n = 73	Sham stimulation, n = 77	P value
1	9 am	0.6 ± 1.5	0.5 ± 1.5	0.7 ± 2.0	0.5 ± 1.1	0.95
	3 pm	0.4 ± 1.0	0.2 ± 0.7	0.5 ± 1.7	0.4 ± 1.1	0.71
2	9 am	0.4 ± 1.0	0.1 ± 0.4	0.5 ± 1.6	0.5 ± 1.6	0.18
	3 pm	0.2 ± 0.8	0.1 ± 0.4	0.4 ± 1.5	0.3 ± 1.3	0.21
3	9 am	0.2 ± 0.6	0.2 ± 1.0	0.1 ± 0.6	0.3 ± 1.1	0.89
	3 pm	0.1 ± 0.2	0.1 ± 0.7	0.1 ± 0.2	0.2 ± 1.0	0.67

Data are expressed as mean ± SD. POD: Postoperative day; TEAS: Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation.