Ghrelin plasmatic levels in patients with fibromyalgia.

Ghrelin is a recently discovered 28 amino acid peptide that regulates GH secretion and energy homeostasis. In fibromyalgia (FM) there are alterations in the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, particularly in the growth hormone (GH) secretion pattern. Whether this anomalous secretion of GH pertains to abnormal levels of ghrelin is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma ghrelin levels in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared with healthy controls. Plasmatic ghrelin concentrations were determined by a double antibody radioimmunoassay in 19 patients with FM and 14 healthy controls. Compared with controls, patients with FM did not show any significant differences of ghrelin plasmatic levels. In conclusion, FM is not associated with deviation in ghrelin concentrations. Existing alterations in FM with respect to GH are unlikely due to circulating ghrelin.