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Low growth hormone secretion in patients with fibromyalgia--a preliminary report on 10 patients and 10 controls
E Bagge1, B A Bengtsson, L Carlsson
1Department of Rheumatology, the Research Centre for Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Objective:
To evaluate the secretion of growth hormone in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).
Methods:
Serum concentrations of growth hormone (24 h profiles), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF), and IGF binding protein-3 were determined in 10 women with FM and in 10 healthy controls. Quality of sleep was assessed by means of a visual analog scale.
Results:
Sleep was significantly more disturbed in the patients than in controls. A significantly lower secretion of growth hormone was found in the patients in comparison with healthy controls.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that growth hormone secretion is decreased in patients with FM. Substitution therapy with low doses of growth hormone may be worth evaluating in the treatment of FM.