[The effect of certain pro-inflammatory mediators on the pathogenesis of acute gastric mucosal lesion in early burn stage].

Objective: To appraise the effect of certain pro-inflammatory mediators on the pathogenesis of acute gastric mucosal lesion in early burn stage.

Methods: 21 patients with burn injuries of over 30% TBSA were divided into A and B groups according to the main clinical indexes during shock resuscitation and hemodynamic parameters. Fiberoptic endoscopic examination, determination of intramucosal pH (pHi) and measurement of some mediators were done immediately after admission to the hospital and 4 and 7 days after burn injury.

Results: It was demonstrated that the level of LPS in plasma, the content of TNF-alpha, IL-8 and ET in group B at 4 and 7 days postburn were significantly higher than those of group A, while the value of pHi in group B was markedly lower than that of group A. Damaging index of gastric mucosa was negatively correlated with pHi (r = -0.89, P < 0.05), but positively with ET (r = 0.91, P = 0.05).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the inflammatory mediators and cytokines promoted secondary damage to gastric mucosa during early postburn. It was believed that pHi was a sensitive index, and it played an important role in the development of stress ulceration.