Figure 4.

Loading plot pertaining to linear discriminant analysis of synovial fluid eicosanoid profiles. Samples were taken at four separate time points (0, 8, 24, and 168 hours) from individuals treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (n = 6) or placebo (n = 6) over the course of transient acute synovitis. The loading plot shows all detected mass transitions, highlighting those that contributed most to the observed differences (spatial separation) between samples over time and with treatment. Points denoting mass transitions that are furthest away from the intercept of both axes contributed most to the differences between samples (labeled with mediator name if positively identified or with mass transition and retention time when the identity could not be confirmed by reference to commercial standards), whereas those close to the intercept depict mass transitions that were common to most samples. HETE, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid; LT, leukotriene; m/z, mass/charge; PG, prostaglandin; TX, thromboxane.