Electroacupuncture improves psychosocial outcomes in rectal cancer patients with bowel dysfunction

Table 7 Subgroup and interaction analysis of electroacupuncture effect on emotional remission (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale reduction ≥ 3)

Subgroup variable	Stratum	HR1 (95%CI)	P value for interaction2
Anxiety level (HADS-A baseline)	High (≥ 8)	2.12 (1.42-3.59)	0.021
	Low (< 8)	1.24 (0.78-2.02)
Body image disturbance (BIS)	High (≥ 12)	1.98 (1.31-3.17)	0.033
	Low (< 12)	1.15 (0.71-1.96)
Social support (PSSS)	Low (< 60)	2.03 (1.26-3.32)	0.017
	High (≥ 60)	1.18 (0.73-1.91)

¹Hazard ratio for emotional remission in electroacupuncture group vs control.

²P value for interaction derived from interaction term in Cox model.

HADS-A: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale; BIS: Body Image Scale; PSSS: Perceived Social Support Scale; HR: Hazard ratio; CI: Confidence interval.