Table 2 Summary of characteristics between ER-LG group and LG-only group

 Age, year

7

540/2766

4.08 [2.10, 6.07]; P<0.0001

I²=71%; P=0.002

 Male

9

595/3016

1.51 [1.23, 1.85]; P<0.0001

I²=39%; P=0.11

 BMI, kg/m²

8

570/2938

0.08 [−0.21, 0.37]; P=0.58

I²=0%; P=0.50

 Tumor size, cm

3

237/1606

−0.77 [−1.00, −0.55]; P<0.00001

I²=0%; P=0.63

 ASA 1

3

106/153

1.00 [0.56, 1.77]; P=1.00

I²=0%; P=0.81

 ASA 2

3

106/153

1.03 [0.59,1.80]; P=0.92

I²=0%; P=0.87

 T1-T2

7

463/2510

2.42 [1.09, 5.34]; P=0.03

I²=40%; P=0.13

 T3-T4

7

463/2510

0.41 [0.19, 0.91]; P=0.03

I²=40%; P=0.13

 Pathological undifferentiated

3

89/231

0.28 [0.07, 1.18]; P=0.08

I²=70%; P=0.04

 Pathological differentiated

3

89/231

3.52 [0.85, 14.60]; P=0.08

I²=70%; P=0.04

 Comorbidity

3

166/718

1.76 [1.23, 2.51]; P=0.002

I²=21%; P=0.28

 Total gastrectomy

4

275/1644

0.94 [0.59, 1.49]; P=0.79

I²=0%; P=0.86

 Subtotal gastrectomy

4

275/1644

1.07 [0.70, 1.65]; P=0.75

I²=0%; P=0.86

 B-I or B-II

4

290/1200

1.09 [0.61, 1.93]; P=0.77

I²=62%; P=0.05

 Roux-en-Y

4

290/1200

0.93 [0.64, 1.34]; P=0.69

I²=21%; P=0.28

 Intraoperative blood loss

6

442/2489

−1.42 [−22.00, 19.16]; P=0.89

I²=77%; P=0.0005

 Time to first oral feeding

3

55/118

−0.02 [−0.34, 0.31]; P=0.93

I²=0%; P=0.45

 Retrieved lymph nodes

6

350/1412

−2.62 [−5.32, 0.07]; P=0.06

I²=72%; P=0.003

 Metastatic lymph nodes

7

459/2338

0.66 [0.43, 1.00]; P=0.05

I²=0%; P=0.50

 Postoperative hospital stay

6

442/2489

0.54 [−0.27, 1.35]; P=0.19

I²=0%; P=1.00

 Conversion to open surgery

3

357/2199

0.73 [0.29, 1.86]; P=0.51

I²=0%; P=0.73

 Grade ≥ II

4

305/1658

1.11 [0.71, 1.73]; P=0.64

I²=0%; P=0.69

 Grade ≥ III b

3

284/1637

1.47 [0.49, 4.43]; P=0.49

I²=0%; P=0.50

 Anastomotic leakage

7

544/2832

1.20 [0.55, 2.65]; P=0.65

I²=0%; P=0.79

 Anastomotic stenosis

4

369/2049

1.34 [0.54, 3.33]; P=0.53

I²=0%; P=0.66

 Intestinal obstruction

7

522/2807

1.70 [0.93, 3.13]; P=0.08

I²=10%; P=0.36

 Abdominal infection

5

420/2315

1.59 [0.71, 3.56]; P=0.26

I²=0%; P=0.65

 Gastric stasis

5

472/2651

0.71 [0.31, 1.65]; P=0.43

I²=0%; P=0.93

 Wound infection

6

519/2745

1.68 [0.84, 3.35]; P=0.14

I²=0%; P=0.90

 Pancreatic leakage

5

328/1238

1.25 [0.53, 2.94]; P=0.62

I²=9%; P=0.36

 Post-operative bleeding

4

464/2627

0.69 [0.24, 2.01]; P=0.50

I²=0%; P=1.00

 Short-term death

3

353/2027

2.65 [0.77, 9.09]; P=0.12

I²=0%; P=0.88