Perspective on Melatonin Use for Sleep Problems in Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 32617211 · doi:10.7759/cureus.8335
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review searching MEDLINE for randomized clinical trials evaluating melatonin for sleep problems in pediatric patients aged 2 to 18 years with DSM-IV diagnoses of autism spectrum disease and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Six trials with durations ranging from 8 to 52 weeks met inclusion criteria.
What was found
Melatonin at doses of 2 to 10 mg/day showed statistically significant improvements in sleep duration and sleep latency onset compared to placebo, as well as a higher overall response rate. It was reported as well-tolerated and safe. The abstract contains no numerical values, effect sizes, confidence intervals, or p-values.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes randomized trial evidence supporting melatonin for sleep management in pediatric patients with autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Limits
The search was restricted to a single database (MEDLINE) and identified only six studies. Total sample size, exact effect sizes, adverse event counts, and risk of bias assessments are absent from the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Clinical studies show melatonin at doses of 5 mg to 7 mg is effective for improving sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder.