Tissue-level bone formation rates in chronic renal failure, measured by means of tetracycline bone labeling.

Abstract

In 16 patients entering a renal dialysis program and given tetracycline bone labels prior to 11th rib biopsy, tissue-level bone formation rates measured by quantitive histological analysis fell below normal in each case and on both the haversian and cortical–endosteal bone surfaces, averaging one-third of normal. On both envelopes there were increases in the relative and absolute amounts of osteoid seam perimeter in a unit amount of bone as well as in the total volume of osteoid in a unit amount of bone.