1. Introduction
chronic-pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, FMS symptoms, cognitive difficulties, FMS symptomatology, pain, musculoskeletal pain, FMS, FMS) symptoms
SYNDROME, FIBROMYALGIA, FMS
Downgrade alterations in the growth hormone (GH) might be involved in the development of some of the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) symptoms. Our aim was to assess the effects of an aerobic exercise programme on the GH levels in patients with FMS. A randomised controlled trial was developed. Sixty-four Spanish women with FMS were randomly assigned to the experimental arm (n = 33) and treated with a 16-week group physical exercise programme based on low impact aerobic dance (three weekly sessions, one-hour each), or to the treatment-as-usual (TAU) control arm (n = 31). The primary outcome was the GH response to acute exercise. Secondary outcomes were GH basal, sensitivity to pain, body composition, aerobic capacity, and quality of life. The ANCOVA results showed a moderate effect of treatment improving the GH response to acute exercise. Other effects were substantial for aerobic capacity, quality of life, and body composition. Pre-intervention GH response to acute exercise was related to improvements in aerobic capacity and quality of life. An aerobic exercise programme may improve the response of the GH, aerobic capacity, body composition, and quality of life in women with FMS. The normalization of neuro-hormonal patterns involving the GH might be key for improving some FMS symptoms.Fibromyalgia is described as a chronic-pain syndrome that can be characterized by the presence of symptoms like widespread musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties [Different etiopathogenic theories have attempted to explain the origin of FMS, although recently there is increasing evidence of alterations in the central nervous system [GH is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, producing central and peripheral effects that modulate the activity of neuronal populations involved in the control of metabolism and stress response, helping the organism restore homeostasis [In this context, the main interest of the present study was to assess the effects of a low impact aerobic-based, high intensity, physical exercise programme, lasting for 16 weeks, on the GH levels in patients with FMS. Attention was centred on the response of this hormone to exercise, although we were also secondarily interested in the repercussion of this programme on the GH basal levels, sensitivity to pain, anthropometric and body composition measures, aerobic capacity, and quality of life. We also explored the potential relationships between the levels of GH and the rest of the variables, as well as the potential predictive value of GH response to exercise at pre-intervention, and improvements throughout the programme in the rest of variables, with the premise that the GH behaviour could be a key factor in the development of FMS symptomatology. We mainly hypothesised that the application of an exercise programme such as that described could improve the response of the GH in patients with FMS, as well as their sensitivity to pain, anthropometric and body composition measures, aerobic capacity, and quality of life.