Changes in growth hormone, insulin, insulinlike growth factors (IGFs), and IGF-binding protein-1 in chronic fatigue syndrome

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) 1997-03, Vol.41 (5), p.567-573
• Main Authors: Allain, Teresa J., Beam, Jenny A., Coskeran, Patsy, Jones, Jennifer, Checkley, Anna, Butler, Joan, Wessely, Simon, Miell, John P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - blood; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - diagnosis; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - psychology; Female; growth hormone; Human Growth Hormone - blood; Humans; hypoglycemia; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology; Insulin - blood; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 - blood; insulinlike growth factor; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Physical Exertion - physiology; Somatomedins - metabolism; stress
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3223(96)00074-1

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by severe physical and mental fatigue of central origin. Similar clinical features may occur in disorders of the hypothalamopituitary axis. The aim of the study was to determine whether patients with CFS have abnormalities of the growth hormone/insulinlike growth factor (GH—IGF) axis basally or following hypothalamic stimulation with insulin-induced hypoglycemia. We compared levels of GH, IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), insulin, and C-peptide in nondepressed CFS patients and normal controls. We found attenuated basal levels of IGF-I (214 ± 17 vs. 263.4 ± 13.4 μg/L, p = .036) and IGF-II (420 ± 19.8 vs. 536 ± 24.3 μg/L, p = .02) in CFS patients and a reduced GH response to hypoglycemia (peak GH; 41.9 ± 11.5 vs. 106.0 ± 25.6 mU/L, p = .017). Insulin levels were higher (7.6 ± 1.0 vs. 4.3 ± 0.8 mU/L, p = .02) and IGFBP-1 levels were lower (19.7 ± 4.6 vs. 43.2 ± 2.7 mg/L, p = .004) in CFS patients compared with controls. This study provides preliminary data of abnormalities of the GH—IGF axis in CFS. It is not apparent whether these changes are components of a primary pathological process or are acquired secondary to behavioral aspects of CFS such as reduced physical activity.