Effect of prednisone on gastric blood flow in swine

The effect of long-term prednisone treatment on gastric blood flow, as it relates to the development of gastric lesions, was studied. Young pigs were given (IM) saline solution or prednisone (10 mg/kg) each day for various periods. Blood flow was measured, using the radioactive microsphere entrapment technique, at the end of 7, 14, and 21 days of treatment. Pigs treated with prednisone had hemorrhages in the proper gastric (fundic) gland area of the stomach. Blood flow to the mucosa and total wall of the nonglandular, cardiac gland, fundic gland, and pyloric gland regions of the stomach was higher in prednisone-treated pigs. Gastric lesions were not observed in the saline-treated pigs. Regional blood flow to the gastric mucosa increased during the formation of prednisone-induced gastric lesions in swine.