The effects of melatonin administration on disease severity and sleep quality in children with atopic dermatitis: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The aim of this clinical trial was to determine the effects of melatonin administration on disease severity and sleep quality in children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD).

METHODS:

This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted by recruiting 70 patients, aged 6-12 years, who had been diagnosed with AD. Study participants were randomly allocated into two intervention groups to receive either 6 mg/d melatonin supplements or placebo (n = 35 each group) for 6 weeks. Severity of disease was assessed using the scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) and objective SCORAD indices. Sleep quality was evaluated by completing the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).

RESULTS:

Following 6 weeks of intervention, melatonin supplementation significantly improved SCORAD index (β -3.55; 95% CI, -6.11, -0.98; P = 0.007), objective SCORAD index (β -3.23; 95% CI, -5.08, -1.38; P = 0.001), serum total IgE levels (β -153.94 ku/L; 95% CI, -260.39, -47.49; P = 0.005), and CSHQ scores (β -2.55; 95% CI, -4.34, -0.75; P = 0.006). However, melatonin had no significant impact on pruritus scores, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), sleep-onset latency, total sleep time, weight, and BMI compared with placebo.

CONCLUSIONS:

Overall, melatonin supplementation had beneficial effects on disease severity, serum total IgE levels, and CSHQ among children diagnosed with AD.

• Authors: Abbas Taghavi Ardakani, Maryam Farrehi, Mohammad Reza Sharif, Vahidreza Ostadmohammadi, Naghmeh Mirhosseini, Davood Kheirkhah, Seyed Gholam Abbas Moosavi, Milad Behnejad, Russel J Reiter, Zatollah Asemi
• Journal: Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (Pediatr Allergy Immunol) Vol. 29 Issue 8 Pg. 834-840 (12 2018) ISSN: 1399-3038 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30160043 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2018 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin E
• Melatonin

Topics

• Child
• Dermatitis, Atopic (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin E (blood)
• Iran
• Male
• Melatonin (administration & dosage)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Sleep (drug effects)
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Treatment Outcome