Perturbed insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-3 are not associated with chronic widespread pain in men: results from the European Male Ageing Study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether perturbations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were associated with the presence of chronic widespread pain (CWP) in men.


METHODS
The European Male Ageing Study (EMAS) is an 8-center population-based study of men aged 40-79 years recruited from population registers. A questionnaire asked about the presence and duration of musculoskeletal pain, from which subjects reporting CWP were identified. Subjects also had an interviewer-assisted questionnaire: levels of physical activity and mood were assessed, and height and weight were measured. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were assayed from a fasting blood sample. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between IGF measures and CWP. Results were expressed as odds ratios or relative risk ratios.


RESULTS
A total of 3206 subjects provided full data. Of those, 1314 (39.0%) reported no pain in the past month and 278 (8.3%) reported pain that satisfied criteria for CWP. IGF-1 concentrations were similar among subjects who reported no pain and those with CWP: 131.5 mg/l and 128.4 mg/l, respectively. This was true also for IGFBP-3 (4.3 and 4.3 mg/l). Obesity was associated with low IGF-1 and a high IGFBP-3/IGF-1 ratio, indicating less bioavailable IGF-1, irrespective of pain status. This relationship persisted after adjustment for comorbidities, depression, smoking, alcohol consumption, and quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall CWP was not associated with perturbations in IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentrations. Hypofunctioning of the axis was noted among subjects who were obese and this was not specific to CWP. These data suggest that IGF-1 is unlikely to be etiologically important in relation to CWP, although the relationship with growth hormone remains to be elucidated.
McBeth
John
J
ARC Epidemiology Unit, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. john.mcbeth@manchester.ac.uk
Tajar
Abdelouahid
A
O'Neill
Terence W
TW
Macfarlane
Gary J
GJ
Pye
Stephen R
SR
Bartfai
Gyorgy
G
Boonen
Steven
S
Bouillon
Roger
R
Casanueva
Felipe
F
Finn
Joseph D
JD
Forti
Gianni
G
Giwercman
Aleksander
A
Han
Thang S
TS
Huhtaniemi
Ilpo T
IT
Kula
Krzysztof
K
Lean
Michael E J
ME
Pendleton
Neil
N
Punab
Margus
M
Silman
Alan J
AJ
Vanderschueren
Dirk
D
Wu
Frederick C W
FC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I