title: Effect of growth hormone treatment in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary study.
abstract: The efficacy of growth hormone (GH) therapy was evaluated in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who had peak serum GH levels below 10 microg/l during stage-controlled sleep. Twenty patients (7 men, 13 women; age range, 30-60 years) with CFS were randomized to receive placebo or GH therapy, 6.7 microg/kg/day (0.02 IU/kg/day), for 12 weeks. Following this double-blind treatment period, the 17 patients remaining in the study were given GH therapy at the above dose for an open period of 9 months. Mean (+/- SD) serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) increased during GH treatment, from 173 +/- 46 microg/I to 296 +/- 89 microg/l (P < 0.001); IGF-I SDS values increased from -0.45 +/- 1.14 to +1.43 +/- 1.09 (P < 0.001). Fat-free mass and total body water were significantly increased after 12 months of treatment. Although quality of life, as assessed using two different questionnaires, did not improve significantly during GH treatment, four patients were able to resume work after a long period of sick leave.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moorkens
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wynants
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001834:Body Water / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I