Prostaglandins, rheumatoid arthritis, fibrin and lymphoedema.

Rheumatoid joint swelling is in part due to lymphoedema accompanying extravascular (E-V) deposition of fibrin. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin (ASA), phenylbutazone (PBZ) and indomethacin (INDO) which share the ability to inhibit prostaglandin synthetase fail to prevent fibrinous lymphoedema occurring in rabbit skin homografts in association with the presence of sensitised lymphocytes. The data highlight the need to define whether or not prostaglandins promote lymphocytic fibrinous lymphoedema.