Insulin-like growth factor-I (somatomedin C) levels in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
OBJECTIVE
Fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are similar conditions characterized by substantial fatigue, diffuse myalgias, sleep disturbances and a variety of other symptoms. Many patients with CFS meet strict criteria for FM. Recently, low insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels have been demonstrated in patients with FM, suggesting that disruption of the growth hormone-IGF-I axis might explain the link between the muscle pain and poor sleep. Our goal was to determine whether IGF-I levels are decreased in CFS, and whether such findings are restricted to patients with concurrent FM.


METHODS
Radioimmunoassays were used to determine serum concentrations of IGF-I and its binding protein, (IGFBP-3). Subjects were 3 patients seen in a referral clinic for chronic fatigue: 15 patients with CFS, 15 who met criteria for both CFS and FM (CFS-FM), 27 with FM alone; and 15 healthy control (HC) subjects.


RESULTS
Patients and control subjects had similar demographic and clinical characteristics. No significant differences were observed among any of the 3 patient groups and control subjects in the mean concentration of either IGF-I or IGFBP-3. Likewise, the proportion of subjects with values above or below the laboratory's reference range did not differ for IGF-I or IGFBP-3.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest the disruption of the growth hormone-IGF-I axis previously demonstrated in FM patients is not evident in a referral population of patients with CFS, CFS-FM, or FM.
Buchwald
D
D
Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Umali
J
J
Stene
M
M
D000328:Adult; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I