Haversian bone formation rates determined by a new method in a mastodon, and in human diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis

Abstract

Counts of the population densities of secondary osteons allow the determination of the haversian bone formation rate without the use of a tissue marker and can do so in paleontological as well as contemporary bone specimens. Using this technique, together with tetracycline markers, such rates were measured in 180 normal humans, in 10 diabetics, in 5 patients with osteogenesis imperfecta, and in 17 women with symptomatic osteoporosis; the new technique alone was used on a mastodon. In the normals, excellent agreement in values occurred between the tetracycline and population-based techniques. In diabetes, population-based formation rates were decreased, but to a lesser extent than tetracycline-based rates, implying that decreased bone formation accompanied development of the disease rather than existing throughout life. In osteoporosis, the rate fell below normal when measured by both methods, implying that it was low while the disease developed and the same after it had produced symptoms. In the mastodon, the mean bone formation rate was similar to that of comtemporary dogs and man when averaged between puberty and the middle of the total life span. © 1970 Springer-Verlag.