FM and low HGH studies

[Guest guest]

There are many studies like this one. Note that in these women with synthetic

HGH the FM alleviated in about 9 months, but in

many people, the good responders, it only takes a few days.

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RM, SC, Walczyk J. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

study of growth hormone in the treatment

of fibromyalgia. Am J Med 1998 Mar;104(3):227-31 Department of Medicine, Oregon

Health Sciences University, Portland

97201, USA.

PURPOSE: The cause of fibromyalgia (FM) is not known. Low levels of insulin-like

growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a surrogate

marker for low growth hormone (GH) secretion, occur in about one third of

patients who have many clinical features of growth

hormone deficiency, such as diminished energy, dysphoria, impaired cognition,

poor general health, reduced exercise capacity,

muscle weakness, and cold intolerance. To determine whether suboptimal growth

hormone production could be relevant to the

symptomatology of fibromyalgia, we assessed the clinical effects of treatment

with growth hormone. METHODS: Fifty women

with fibromyalgia and low IGF-1 levels were enrolled in a randomized,

placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 9 months'

duration. They gave themselves daily subcutaneous injections of growth hormone

or placebo. Two outcome measures--the

Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the number of fibromyalgia tender

points-were evaluated at 3-monthly intervals by a

blinded investigator. An unblinded investigator reviewed the IGF-1 results

monthly and adjusted the growth hormone dose to

achieve an IGF-1 level of about 250 ng/mL. RESULTS: Daily growth hormone

injections resulted in a prompt and sustained

increase in IGF-1 levels. The treatment (n=22) group showed a significant

improvement over the placebo group (n=23) at 9

months in both the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score (P <0.04) and the

tender point score (P <0.03). Fifteen subjects in

the growth hormone group and 6 subjects in the control group experienced a

global improvement (P <0.02). There was a

delayed response to therapy, with most patients experiencing improvement at the

6-month mark. After discontinuing growth

hormone, patients experienced a worsening of symptoms. Carpal tunnel symptoms

were more prevalent in the growth hormone

group (7 versus 1); no other adverse events were more common in this group.

CONCLUSIONS: Women with fibromyalgia

and low IGF-1 levels experienced an improvement in their overall symptomatology

and number of tender points after 9 months

of daily growth hormone therapy. This suggests that a secondary growth hormone

deficiency may be responsible for some of the

symptoms of fibromyalgia.

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NEW YORK (MedscapeWire) May 06 — Growth hormone (GH) response to maximal

exercise is impaired in patients with

fibromyalgia, according to research reported in the May issue of Arthritis &

Rheumatism. Normalization with pyridostigmine

pretreatment suggests a defect in somatostatin tone, which may be related to the

exhaustive stage of chronic stress.

" The results of this study indicate that GH deficiency is probably more common

in fibromyalgia patients than was originally

reported, " senior author , MD, MRCP, from Oregon Health Sciences

University in Portland, says in a news

release.

Fibromyalgia is thought to be a stress-related syndrome, linked to malfunctions

of the hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal

hormones, including GH.

" Recognition of defective GH secretion in fibromyalgia patients is of some

practical relevance because GH replacement therapy

was shown to benefit fibromyalgia patients in a 9-month placebo-controlled

study, " says.

Source: Arthritis Rheum. 2002;46(5):1344-1350. Reviewed by D. Vogin, MD

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Duncan Crow