This is a bit of a spin-off of the thread for abnormal prolactin response in ME/CFS, to take a look at the studies relating to growth hormone response.
Here are the studies that I've found so far that have tested how much growth hormone changes after participants got some sort of neuroendocrine challenge, such as buspirone or insulin. I only included the growth hormone findings. At least two of the studies (Allain 1997 and Berwaerts 1998) say they found lower IGF-1 , so that may be worth looking at.
GH: Growth hormone, GHRH: Growth hormone-releasing hormone
Edit: Fixed minor typos.
Here are the studies that I've found so far that have tested how much growth hormone changes after participants got some sort of neuroendocrine challenge, such as buspirone or insulin. I only included the growth hormone findings. At least two of the studies (Allain 1997 and Berwaerts 1998) say they found lower IGF-1 , so that may be worth looking at.
| Year | Title | Authors | Cohort | Neuroendocrine probe | Findings | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Neuroendocrine responses to d-fenfluramine and insulin-induced hypoglycemia in chronic fatigue syndrome | Jenny Bearn, Theresa Allain, Patsy Coskeran, Neil Munro, Joan Butler, Alan McGregor, Simon Wessely | 4 females and 5 males with ME/CFS (Sharpe 1991) and without depression. 8 healthy controls Females tested in days 3-5 of menstrual cycle. | Insulin (0.15 u or 0.10 u per kg, i.v.) | Nonsignificantly smaller GH response to insulin. | Article |
| 1996 | Neuroendocrine Alterations in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome [Thesis] | Tahir Majeed | Nondepressed ME/CFS (Fukuda 1994) - Males and females. Healthy controls. Sample size differed per test. | Dexamethasone (4 mg, orally) Desipramine (75 mg, orally) Pyridostigmine (120 mg, orally) Bromocriptine (2 mg, orally) Baclofen (20 mg, orally) | Smaller GH response to dexamethasone. Smaller GH response to desipramine. Larger GH response to pyridostigmine. Normal GH response to bromocriptine. Normal GH response to baclofen. | Article |
| 1996 | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a Delayed Reaction to Chronic Low-dose Organophosphate Exposure | Peter O. Behan | 10 males with CFS-like illness following flu-like illness (except for one patient where it followed cholecystitis). All had also had documented exposure to organophosphates before illness.1 15 male and 15 female healthy controls (based on news story about study. This differs from text.) | Pyridostigmine (120 mg, orally) Dexamethasone (4 mg, orally) | Larger GH response to pyridostigmine. Smaller GH response to dexamethasone. | Article |
| 1996 | Increased prolactin response to buspirone in chronic fatigue syndrome | M. Sharpe, A. Clements, K. Hawton, A.H. Young, P. Sargent, P.J. Cowen | 11 male with ME/CFS (Sharpe 1991) and neurasthenia (WHO 1992) but not major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or panic disorder. 11 age-, sex-, and weight-matched healthy controls. | Buspirone (0.5 mg/kg up to a maximum of 45 mg, orally) | Normal GH response to buspirone. | Article |
| 1997 | Changes in growth hormone, insulin, insulinlike growth factors (IGFs), and IGF-binding protein-1 in chronic fatigue syndrome | Teresa J. Allain, Jenny A. Beam, Patsy Coskeran, Jennifer Jones, Anna Checkley, Joan Butler, Simon Wessely, and John P. Miell | 5 males and 3 females with ME/CFS (Sharpe 1991 and Fukuda 1994), without current depression 3 male and 6 female healthy controls Females tested during follicular phase. Controls significantly younger. | Insulin (0.15 U/kg, i.v.) | Normal baseline GH. Smaller GH increase after insulin. | Article |
| 1998 | Secretion of growth hormone in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome | J. Berwaerts, G. Moorkens, R. Abs | 7 males and 13 females with ME/CFS (Fukuda 1994) without current depression. Number of controls differed per test. | Insulin (0.15 U/kg, i.v.) L-arginine (30 g, i.v.) | Normal GH response to insulin. Normal GH response to L-arginine. Nonsignificantly reduced nocturnal secretion of GH. | Article |
| 2000 | Integrity of the Growth Hormone/Insulin-Like Growth Factor System Is Maintained in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Anthony J. Cleare, Samantha S. Sookdeo, Jennifer Jones, Veronica O’Keane, John P. Miell | 37 ME/CFS (Sharpe 1991 and Fukuda 1994) 37 healthy controls | Insulin (0.15 U/kg, i.v.) GHRH (100 ug, i.v.) | Normal GH response to insulin. Normal GH response to GHRH. | Article |
| 2000 | Characterization of pituitary function with emphasis on GH secretion in the chronic fatigue syndrome | Greta Moorkens, Joris Berwaerts, Herlindis Wynants, Roger Abs | 73 ME/CFS (Fukuda 1994) 21 healthy controls Early follicular phase for females. | Insulin (0.15 U/kg, i.v.) | Smaller GH increase after insulin. Reduced GH nocturnal secretion. | Article |
| 2001 | Hormonal Responses to Exercise in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | John E. Ottenweller, Sue A. Sisto, Richard C. McCarty, Benjamin H. Natelson | 17 females with ME/CFS (Oxford and Fukuda criteria) 14 sedentary healthy controls. | Maximal exercise on treadmill | Larger GH response to exercise (only achieved significance when analyzing subset who achieved maximal exertion) | Article, S4ME |
Edit: Fixed minor typos.
Last edited: