Length of time required for test: about 3 weeks
Required medications: 2 different types of tetracyclines, each with having a different color under fluorescent light (for example one green and the second yellow). Declomycin may be used as the second tetracycline.
Protocol:
(1) Administer the first type of tetracycline po bid for 2-3 days.
(2) Wait 10-14 days.
(3) Administer a second type of tetracycline po bid for 2-3 days.
(4) Wait 2-4 days and then do a bone biopsy.
The doses for the tetracyclines range from 300 to 500 mg.
Measurements:
(1) time interval in days
(2) distance in microns from the middle of one tetracycline band to the middle of the second band
time interval in days =
= ((number of days first drug given) / 2) + (number of days without tetracyclines between the 2 courses) + ((number of days second drug given) / 2)
mean rate of mineralization in microns per day =
= (distance in microns) / (time interval in days)
