Therapeutic effect of bloodletting on bone deterioration induced by hypobaric hypoxia in young rats

High-altitude regions, comprising hypoxic condition, are associated with different altitude-induced pathologies, including a reduction in bone density. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying bone degradation in such environments and developing targeted interventions and therapeutics is important. Bloodletting therapy has promising clinical applications, but its effects on the skeletal system and bone homeostasis are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a hypobaric hypoxia environment on specific femoral morphological and structural properties, including the bone volume, cortical thickness, and trabecular microarchitecture, in juvenile Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and to explore the potential modulating effects of a bloodletting intervention on these parameters.