ArticleJournal of traditional and complementary medicine2024
Electroacupuncture of ST36 and PC6 for postoperative gastrointestinal recovery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Applied During the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Period in Improving Postoperative Recovery Quality After Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Therapeutics and clinical risk management · 2025Trial
- Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at Zusanli (ST36) on postoperative pain following mixed hemorrhoidectomy: a retrospective study.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Efficacy and safety of non-invasive transcutaneous nerve stimulation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2026Article
- Electroacupuncture in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: This study was designed to determine the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints ST36 and/or PC6 for postoperative gastrointestinal (GI) recovery. Method: Studies were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Airiti library databases from inception to January 23, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effect of EA at ST36 and/or PC6 on postoperative GI recovery were reviewed. Studies that involved acupoints other than the two or treatment modalities other than EA were excluded. Results: Meta-analysis of 17 RCTs revealed that the time to first flatus (Mean difference (MD) = -5.06 h; 95% Confidence interval (CI), -7.12 to -3.01) and time to first defecation (MD = -12.29 h; 95% CI, -20.64 to -5.21) were significantly shorter in the EA group compared with the control group. The incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was also significantly lower in the EA group than in the control group (Risk ratio (RR) = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49-0.78). Conclusion: EA application to ST36 or PC6 alone as an adjunctive therapy is effective and safe in promoting postoperative GI recovery and reducing PONV. The benefits are less obvious when ST36 and PC6 are combined. Acupoint selection and EA parameters are important factors that influence therapeutic effects. The establishment of a standardized EA protocol is imperative to minimize bias in research and to maximize applicability in clinical practice.
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Registered trials
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