Table 3

Serum hormones in patients and control group according to score on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)a


Patients with fibromyalgia
Patients with CFS
Healthy controls





BDI < 17 (N = 32)
BDI ≥ 17 (N = 36)
BDI < 17 (N = 21)
BDI ≥ 17 (N = 41)
(N = 46)

Age (years)
31.86 ± 7.29
30.65 ± 7.65
31.98 ± 6.57
32.76 ± 7.18
31.54 ± 6.86
LH
11.65 ± 10.42* & #
6.43 ± 4.28
6.21 ± 7.26
6.71 ± 5.87
6.88 ± 4.69
FSH
7.13 ± 3.21
6.25 ± 2.84
5.87 ± 3.69
6.81 ± 4.43
6.69 ± 4.87
Progesterone
4.19 ± 4.56
4.73 ± 5.56
4.18 ± 4.65
3.72 ± 5.27
3.78 ± 3.97
Estradiol
113.48 ± 69.45
121.42 ± 90.26
98.39 ± 87.11
107.23 ± 91.57
94.15 ± 59.34
Prolactin
26.08 ± 32.19
21.03 ± 11.32
23.41 ± 28.49
20.87 ± 27.36
19.35 ± 10.45
Cortisol
11.94 ± 6.56#
10.11 ± 5.67*
8.96 ± 4.28*
10.52 ± 5.45*
13.52 ± 6.25

Values are means ± standard deviation. aA BDI score of ≥ 17 was considered to indicate depression. *Significantly different from control (P < 0.05); &significantly different from fibromyalgia group with BDI ≥ 17 (P < 0.05); #significantly different from CFS group with BDI < 17 (P < 0.05). CFS, chronic fatigue syndrome; FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; LH, luteinizing hormone.

Gur et al. Arthritis Res Ther 2004 6:R232   doi:10.1186/ar1163