SynthesisComplementary therapies in medicine2015
Zusanli (ST36) acupoint injection for preventing postoperative ileus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
Synthesis in Complementary therapies in medicine, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of therapeutic means for postoperative ileus: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Pharmacoacupuncture for the Treatment of Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Current pain and headache reports · 2024Pooled it
- Zusanli (ST36) Acupoint Injection With Dexamethasone for Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2021Pooled it
- Acupoint injection treatment for non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Comparison of efficacy of simo decoction and acupuncture or chewing gum alone on postoperative ileus in colorectal cancer resection: a randomized trial.Scientific reports · 2017Trial
- Trial
- Decoding the gut interactome after severe trauma: from molecular dialogue to integrative treatment strategies.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Clinical efficacy evaluation of ultrasound-guided tuina therapy for pediatric intussusception.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- The Autonomic Nervous System in Acupuncture for Gastrointestinal Dysmotility: From Anatomical Insights to Clinical Medicine.International journal of medical sciences · 2025Review
- Connecting the Dots: The Cerebral Lymphatic System as a Bridge Between the Central Nervous System and Peripheral System in Health and Disease.Aging and disease · 2024Review
- Investigation of local stimulation effects of embedding PGLA at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint in rats based on TRPV2 and TRPV4 ion channels.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2024Article
- Electroacupuncture Alleviates Neuroinflammation by Inhibiting the HMGB1 Signaling Pathway in Rats with Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy.Brain sciences · 2022Article
- Electroacupuncture Before Gastrectomy Accelerates Recovery from Gastrointestinal Dysfunction: A Feasibility Study.Medical acupuncture · 2022Article
- Changes of local microenvironment and systemic immunity after acupuncture stimulation during inflammation: A literature review of animal studies.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Review
- Neuroimaging in the Understanding of Acupuncture Analgesia: A Review of Acupuncture Neuroimaging Study Based on Experimental Pain Models.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2021Review
- Effect of Electroacupuncture on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Recovery in Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Feasibility Study.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2020Article
- Article
- Perioperative acupuncture medicine: a novel concept instead of acupuncture anesthesia.Chinese medical journal · 2019Review
- GM1 Acupoint Injection Improves Mental Retardation in Children with Cerebral Palsy.Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate the preventive effect of Zusanli (ST36) acupoint injections with various agents, for postoperative ileus (POI).
methodsWe searched electronic databases for randomized controlled trials from inception to 1st February 2015 evaluating ST36 acupoint injection for preventing POI. Revman 5.2.0 was used for data analysis with effect estimates presented as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical heterogeneity was tested using I(2) (defined as significant if I(2)>75%). We used a random effects model (REM) for pooling data with significant heterogeneity.
resultsThirty trials involving 2967 participants were included. All trials were assessed as high risk of bias (poor methodological quality). For time to first flatus, meta-analysis favored ST36 acupoint injection of neostigmine (MD -20.70h, 95% CI -25.53 to -15.87, 15 trials, I(2)=98%, REM), vitamin B1 (MD -11.22h, 95% CI -17.01 to -5.43, 5 trials, I(2)=98%, REM), and metoclopramide (MD -15.65h, 95% CI -24.77 to -6.53, 3 trials, I(2)=94%, REM) compared to usual care alone. Meta-analysis of vitamin B1 favored ST36 acupoint injection compared to intra-muscular injection (MD -17.21h, 95% CI -21.05 to -13.36, 4 trials, I(2)=89%, REM). Similarly, for time to bowel sounds recovery and first defecation, ST36 acupoint injection also showed positive effects.
conclusionsST36 acupoint injections with various agents may have a preventive effect for POI. Safety is inconclusive as few of included trials reported adverse events. Due to the poor methodological quality and likely publication bias further robust clinical trials are required to arrive at a definitive conclusion.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.