Disordered growth hormone secretion in fibromyalgia: A review of recent findings and a hypothesized etiology

R. M. Bennett

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    42 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Growth hormone (GH) deficiency occurs in about 30% of fibromyalgia patients. Treatment of GH deficient fibromyalgia patients with recombinant growth hormone improves several clinical features, including the tender point count. Defective GH secretion in these patients appears to be due to increased somatostatin tone in the hypothalamus. An hypothesis is presented which relates dysfunctional GH secretion to the effects of intermittent hypercortisolemia on upregulating the density of β-adrenergic receptors in the hypothalamus. The resulting augmentation of β-adrenergic tone stimulates the release of somatostatin, thus, impairing GH secretion.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)72-76
    Number of pages5
    JournalZeitschrift fur Rheumatologie
    Volume57
    Issue numberSUPPL. 2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1998

    Keywords

    • Fibromyalgia
    • GH deficiency
    • GH treatment
    • Growth hormone
    • IGF-1
    • Somatostatin

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Rheumatology

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