Effects of auricular vagus nerve stimulation with press needles plus Zusanli moxibustion on patients with colorectal cancer postoperatively

Table 1 General data, n (%)

Factors	n	Control group (n = 50)	Research group (n = 55)	Z/t/χ2	P value
Gender				0.017	0.896
Male	56	27 (54.00)	29 (52.73)
Female	49	23 (46.00)	26 (47.27)
Age (years)	105	55.22 ± 8.00	57.62 ± 9.48	1.395	0.166
Body mass index (kg/m2)	105	23.00 (21.00, 25.00)	23.00 (21.00, 25.00)	-0.013	0.990
Tumor-node-metastasis staging				0.416	0.812
I	21	10 (20.00)	11 (20.00)
II	41	21 (42.00)	20 (36.36)
III	43	19 (38.00)	24 (43.64)
Tumor type				0.089	0.766
Colon cancer	52	24 (48.00)	28 (50.91)
Rectal cancer	53	26 (52.00)	27 (49.09)
Pathological type				0.192	0.661
Adenocarcinoma	93	45 (90.00)	48 (87.27)
Other	12	5 (10.00)	7 (12.73)
Tumor diameter (cm)	105	3.60 (3.16, 4.09)	3.64 (3.11, 4.37)	-0.549	0.583

Table 2 Clinical efficacy, n (%)

Factors	Control group (n = 50)	Research group (n = 55)	χ2	P value
Markedly effective	20 (40.00)	27 (49.09)
Effective	16 (32.00)	23 (41.82)
No effect	14 (28.00)	5 (9.09)
Total effective rate	36 (72.00)	50 (90.91)	6.318	0.012

Table 3 Postoperative pain

Factors	Control group (n = 50)	Research group (n = 55)	Z	P value
Visual Analog Scale
6 hours after surgery	7.00 (5.00, 8.00)	7.00 (6.00, 8.00)	-1.346	0.178
12 hours after surgery	6.00 (5.00, 7.00)	4.00 (3.00, 5.00)	-5.579	< 0.001
24 hours after surgery	4.00 (3.00, 5.00)	3.00 (3.00, 5.00)	-0.999	0.318
48 hours after surgery	3.00 (2.00, 5.00)	3.00 (2.00, 3.00)	-2.468	0.014

Table 4 Gastrointestinal function

Factors	Control group (n = 50)	Research group (n = 55)	Z/t	P value
Time to return of bowel sounds (hours)	45.64 ± 15.91	36.96 ± 11.54	3.221	0.002
Time to flatus (hours)	69.90 ± 13.98	59.42 ± 11.82	4.160	< 0.001
Time to defecation (hours)	7.00 (6.00, 8.00)	5.00 (4.00, 6.00)	-5.139	< 0.001