Kidney cortex microcirculation measured with laser Doppler flowmeter.

<p>Measured flux is expressed as a percentage of the baseline flux before the aortic clamping. Flux remained at the baseline level after clamping of the infrarenal aorta in all three animal groups. After revascularization of the limbs, a constant impairment of the kidney cortex microcirculatory flux was observed in the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group (marked with a broken line), while flux was preserved in the Levosimendan (unbroken line) and the Sham (dotted line) groups. Values are expressed as means ± SD, ‡: p<0.001 vs. Sham, §: p<0.001 vs. IR.