Exogenous melatonin as a treatment for secondary sleep disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the efficacy of exogenous melatonin versus placebo in managing secondary sleep disorders.
Results Summary
Pooled data showed that exogenous melatonin reduces sleep onset latency and increases total sleep time but has minimal effect on sleep efficiency. The efficacy of melatonin requires further confirmation, but the meta-analysis supports its use for secondary sleep disorders.
Population
Patients with secondary sleep disorders (205 participants across 7 studies).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
exogenous melatonin | decrease | sleep onset latency | patients with secondary sleep disorders | - | lowers | #1 |
exogenous melatonin | increase | total sleep time | patients with secondary sleep disorders | - | increases | #2 |
exogenous melatonin | no change | sleep efficiency | patients with secondary sleep disorders | - | has little if any effect on | #3 |
Melatonin is a physiological indoleamine involved in circadian rhythm regulation and it is currently used for secondary sleep disorders supported by empirical evidence. A small amount of evidence and some controversial results have been obtained in some randomized controlled trials (RCT). The objective of this meta-analysis is to determine the efficacy of exogenous melatonin versus placebo in managing secondary sleep disorders. Literature retrieval of eligible RCT was performed in 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science). In total, 7 studies of 205 patients were included. Pooled data demonstrate that exogenous melatonin lowers sleep onset latency and increases total sleep time, whereas it has little if any effect on sleep efficiency. Although, the efficacy of melatonin still requires further confirmation, this meta-analysis clearly supports the use of melatonin as a management for patients with secondary sleep disorders.