Bone growth kinetics IV: a preliminary investigation on a biorhythm in human osteogenesis.

Multiple doses of oxytetracycline were administered at regular but different intervals to groups of patients undergoin orthopaedic surgery. It was found that doses of the drug were incorporated at bone growth sites most frequently if the intervals between those doses were 3 or 6 days. This suggests a biorhythm in human bone growth with a periodicity of 3 days: this biorhythm may be altered by hormones or drugs.