Figure 3.

Blood chemistry data. Compared to baseline (BL) levels, asphyxia (ASPH) resulted in marked hypoxia (A), hypercapnia (B), and acidosis (C), the latter showing a robust metabolic component, indicated both by negative base excess (D) and lactacidosis (E). Blood glucose level elevations during asphyxia were not statistically significant (F). Blood gases, pH, and base excess were restored by 1 h after asphyxia. Lactic acid levels were still significantly elevated at 1 h then returned to baseline levels by 4 h. There was no difference among the experimental groups in the asphyxia-induced changes in blood gas parameters; only the increase in lactate levels during asphyxia was somewhat lower in the HT group, although this difference was not detected in base deficit, and lactate levels were virtually identical at 1 h after asphyxia in the three groups. In a similar fashion, the post-asphyxia blood gas parameters were very similar in all three experimental groups throughout the observation period, with a tendency for slightly higher blood sugar levels in the HT group. * p < 0.05, significantly different from the corresponding value of the VEH group. Significant differences from the respective baselines within the groups are not indicated for clarity.