Reduced in vivo leucocyte migration and elastase and lysozyme concentrations in skin chamber experiments with piroxicam in healthy volunteers.

Leucocyte migration in vivo, studied with a skin chamber technique was inhibited in eight healthy volunteers after six days' medication with piroxicam, 20 mg a day, but not after only one day's medication. The inhibition was not correlated to the serum content of the drug. The median trough values of piroxicam in serum were 2.5 mg/l and in blister fluid 1.2 mg/l after six days' medication. Leucocyte migration in vitro under agarose was not inhibited after six days' medication with piroxicam. When normal polymorphonuclear leucocytes were incubated with piroxicam in vitro migration under agarose was inhibited but only at piroxicam concentrations higher than those attainable in clinical therapy. The concentrations of elastase and lysozyme in the skin chamber decreased after six days' medication with piroxicam.