Low growth hormone secretion in patients with fibromyalgia--a preliminary report on 10 patients and 10 controls.

Abstract

To evaluate the secretion of growth hormone in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). 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. 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. 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.