Bone tissue response to four-month antiorthostatic bedrest: a bone histomorphometric study

A histomorphometric analysis were made on iliac crest biopsies from eight healthy male volunteers submitted to a 4-month antiorthostatic bedrest. Bone mass and bone cell parameters, reflecting resorption and formation activities, were measured before and after the bedrest period. Trabecular bone volume and mean cortical thickness were not modified despite a decreased number of trabeculae and nonsignificant increase of the trabecular thickness; total and active resorption surfaces and the number of osteoclast per mm2 of trabecular surfaces do not vary significantly. Osteoid thickness does not vary but we found a reduced osteoid surface and a nonsignificant decreased osteoid volume. Our results suggest that bone architecture may be more affected by the reduction of mechanical forces than the bone mass. These modifications were supposed to be the result of an accelerated bone turnover in the early stage of immobilization. In this study, we failed to find disuse osteoporosis; however, we must point out that the new organization of the trabeculae could affect the bone mechanical properties.