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

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency occurs in about 30% of fibromyalgia patients . Treatment of GH deficient fibromyalgia patients with recombinant growth h ormone improves several clinical features, including the tender point count . Defective GH secretion in these patients appears to be due to increased s omatostatin tone in the hypothalamus. An hypothesis is presented which rela tes dysfunctional GH secretion to the effects of intermittent hypercortisol emia on upregulating the density of beta-adrenergic receptors in the hypoth alamus. The resulting augmentation of beta-adrenergic tone stimulates the r elease of somatostatin, thus, impairing GH secretion.