The Growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), /ghrelin axis dysfunction, is connected with hyperalgesia and several common clinical pain syndromes. The low levels of GH and IGF-1 were concerned with pain hypersensitivity, though ghrelin provided the analgesic effects revealed from a systematic review published in 'Pain Medicine'.

The GH and GH-related signaling molecules play a crucial role in nociception and initiation of chronic pain. This review was performed to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms through which GH-related signaling affects sensory hypersensitivity, clinical pharmacology of GH, and clinical evidence of GH treatment for different pain syndromes. Jijun Xu and the study authors conducted a database search using the PUBMED/MEDLINE database, Scopus, and Cochrane library for all reports (published in English) on GH for pain management from starting through May 2018.  A critical review was conducted on the mechanisms of GH-related signaling and pharmacology of GH. The levels of clinical evidence and implications for recommendations of all of the involved studies were graded. Out of 379 articles, 201 articles were considered irrelevant by reading the titles. Fifty-three reports were considered relevant after reading abstracts. These articles were then retrieved for the analysis and discussion.  The pre-treatment of GH reversed mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in an animal model of inflammatory pain.

"The clinical trial supports the GH treatment in a subgroup of patients who have fibromyalgia syndrome or chronic lower back pain syndrome", concluded the study authors.