ABSTRACT
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of gastric mucosal lesions and the parietal oxyntic function in rats under stress as a result of seawater-immersion after open abdominal injury. Methods Thirty-two SD rats were subjected to open abdominal injury followed by seawater immersion. The animals were randomly divided into four groups: control, 1h, 2h, 3h stress for 1h, 2h, and 3h groups. The pH value of gastric juice and gastric mucosal ulcer index (UI) were measured. The gastric mucosal lesions were observed with light microscopy, and the ultrastructural changes in parietal cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results There was a significantly negative relationship between UI and pH value (r=-0.70,P