Effects of rikkunshito administration after distal pancreatectomy on postoperative oral intake and weight loss

Table 2 Oral intake on postoperative day 7

	RT (-) (n = 124)	RT (+) (n = 117)	P value
Time to start liquid intake	1 (1-1)	1 (1-1)	-
Time to start oral intake	3 (3-3)	3 (3-3)	-
Breakfast main dish, %	55 (7.5-100)	80 (50-100)	0.007
Side dish, %	50 (10-100)	80 (50-100)	< 0.001
Lunch main dish, %	50 (20-100)	80 (40-100)	0.043
Side dish, %	60 (20-100)	90 (50-100)	0.006
Dinner main dish, %	50 (7.5-100)	80 (20-100)	0.063
Side dish, %	50 (17.5-100)	90 (50-100)	0.001

Oral intake on postoperative day 7 was compared between the rikkunshito (RT) (-) group (n = 124) and the RT (+) group (n = 117). The times to initiation of liquid intake and oral intake were identical in the two groups. Liquid intake was initiated on postoperative day 1 and oral intake on postoperative day 3 in all patients according to the institutional clinical pathway. Intake was evaluated for each component of the meal, which included the breakfast main dish, breakfast side dish, lunch main dish, lunch side dish, dinner main dish, and dinner side dish. Oral intake was expressed as the percentage of the provided meal consumed. Values are presented as medians (interquartile range). Continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RT: Rikkunshito.