title: Short-term neurophysiologic consequences of intrapartum asphyxia in piglets born by spontaneous parturition.
abstract: Piglets appear to be neurologically sensitive to intrapartum asphyxia. Our aim was to investigate the short-term neurophysiologic consequences of intrapartum asphyxia in piglets. We studied 10 piglets suffering intrapartum asphyxia and 10 control piglets. Glucose and blood gas levels, tympanic membrane temperature, and body weight were measured within the first 2 min after birth. Animals were followed up for a 5-day period. As surrogated markers of piglets' neurological function, a viability score and the time elapsed from birth to the first contact with the maternal udder were recorded. In the control group, temperature and blood pH levels at birth were significantly higher (p < or = .001), whereas calcium, lactate and PCO2 levels were statistically lower (p < or = .05) than in the piglets experiencing intrapartum asphyxia. Lower temperature and blood pH levels as well as higher blood PCO2 and lactate levels were observed in piglets with lower viability scores and in piglets with prolonged times until first udder contact. At the end of the study, asphyxiated piglets weighed on average 200 g less (p = .023) than control piglets. In conclusion, intrapartum asphyxia in spontaneously born piglets was associated with signs of acute neurological dysfunction and lower weight gain, supporting the hypothesis that they may be used as a naturalistic model for the study of asphyxia in newborns.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Division of Animal Production Sciences and Health, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orozco-Gregorio
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mota-Rojas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alonso-Spilsbury
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olmos-Hernandez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Necoechea
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Velazquez-Armenta
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nava-Ocampo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Gonzalez
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Trujillo-Ortega
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Villanueva-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000142:Acidosis, Respiratory / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis / Q000379:methods; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D036801:Parturition / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004573:Electrolytes