Table 1. Quantification of IHC-positive cells in the woven bone at the periosteal surface at the SFx exit point.

	Numerical Density (cells/mm2)
IHC antigen	Day 4	Day 7	Significance
Caspase-3	1069±123	985±117	NS
COX-2	1471±120	1167±78	NS
IL-6	209±15	79±27	P<0.003a
VEGF	836±122	861±81	NS
TGF-β	1230±146	819±36	P<0.026

Abbreviations: IHC, immunohistochemistry; NS, not significant; SFx, stress fracture.

^aDay 4 vs day 7, Student's t-test.