Neuroendocrinal axis disturbance in fibromyalgia

Abstract EN

Objective: Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a common syndrome of musculo-skeletal pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances.

Disturbances in growth hormone (GH) secretion were recorded in patients suffering from FMS.

However GH has a very short half-life.

Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the level of somatomedin C in those patients suffering from FM and to study its possible link to the occurrence of their symptomatology especially sleep disturbances.

Methods: The study was performed on 34 FMS patients and 20 healthy controls.

Serum somatomedin C levels were assessed using a radioimmunoassay technique.

Also, psychiatric assessment was done using a standardized sleep questionnaire and all night polysonmography (PSG).

Results: FMS patients showed a significant reduction of somatomedin level (t=7.1, p<0.001) as compared to controls, with reduction of sleep efficiency, slow wave sleep and stage IV percentages (t=3.8, p<0.001, t=2.77, p<0.01 and 2.03, p<0.05 respectively).

A significant correlation was found between the level of somatomedin and each of sleep efficiency (r=0.425), stage IV % (r=0.499), arousals (r=0.359) and periodic leg movements (r=0.359).

Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are most probably primary in FMS, leading to reduction in growth hormone secretion, which in turn is responsible for the occurrence of the symptomatology of the disease.

The study confirms the disturbance of the neuroendocrine axis in FMS.