Fig. 3. The charts show the results concerning airway resistance (R^aw) and peak airway pressure (P^max) with all experimental conditions. Data are mean ± SD, X = significant difference between xenon–oxygen and nitrogen–oxygen. The white bars indicate the values obtained during nitrogen–oxygen ventilation, the dark ones those during xenon–oxygen or N²O–oxygen ventilation, respectively. Note that during xenon–oxygen ventilation R^awwas significantly higher both before and during bronchoconstriction when compared to the corresponding nitrogen–oxygen controls. A statistically significant increase in P^aw, however, was found during xenon–oxygen ventilation during bronchoconstriction only.