Abstract
BackgroundChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease which defined as medically unexplained, disabling fatigue of 6 months or more duration and often accompanied by several of a long list of physical complaints. We aimed to investigate abnormalities of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormones and cortisol concentrations in premenopausal women with CFS and find out effects of depression rate on these hormones.MethodsWe examined follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, progesterone and cortisol concentrations in 43 premenopausal women (mean age: 32.86 ± 7.11) with CFS and compared matched 35 healthy controls (mean age: 31.14 ± 6.19). Patients were divided according to menstrual cycle phases (follicular and luteal) and compared with matched phase controls. Depression rate was assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and patients with high BDI scores were compared to patients with low BDI scores.ResultsThere were no significant differences in FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone levels in both of menstrual phases of patients versus controls. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in patients compared to controls. There were no significant differences in all hormone levels in patients with high depression scores versus patients with low depression scores.ConclusionIn spite of high depression rate, low cortisol concentration and normal HPG axis hormones of both menstrual phases are detected in premenopausal women with CFS. There is no differentiation between patients with high and low depression rate in all hormone levels. Depression condition of CFS may be different from classical depression and evaluation of HPG and HPA axis should be performed for understanding of pathophysiology of CFS and planning of treatment.
Highlights
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease which defined as medically unexplained, disabling fatigue of 6 months or more duration and often accompanied by several of a long list of physical complaints
Infusion of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) into the cerebral ventricles leads to inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in primates [8]
We aimed to investigate main hormones of HPG and HPA axes; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), LH, estradiol, progesterone and cortisol levels in premenopausal women with CFS
Summary
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease which defined as medically unexplained, disabling fatigue of 6 months or more duration and often accompanied by several of a long list of physical complaints. We aimed to investigate abnormalities of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormones and cortisol concentrations in premenopausal women with CFS and find out effects of depression rate on these hormones. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical presentation that primarily affects women and characterized by severe disabling fatigue, and other symptoms; including musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, impaired concentration, and headaches, in the absence of organic illness or severe psychiatric disorder that would explain the fatigue. Stress is known to interfere with the menstrual cycle and may lead to chronic anovulation and amenorrhea [4]. This generally thought to be caused by a decrease in the activity of hypothalamic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator with subsequent inhibition of the pituitary-gonadal axis [5,6]. Women with hypothalamic amenorrhea have higher basal cortisol levels and blunted cortisol response to exogenous administration of CRH, suggesting that the increase in cortisol secretion may reflect increased endogenous CRH activity [10]
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