Association of Sleep Problems and Melatonin Use in School-aged Children

The role of lifestyle factors in the association between early-life stress and adolescent psycho-physical health: Moderation analysis in two European birth cohorts

OBJECTIVE

Early-life stress (ELS) is an established risk factor for a host of adult mental and physical health problems, including both depression and obesity. Recent studies additionally showed that ELS was associated with an increased risk of comorbidity between mental and physical health problems, already in adolescence. Healthy lifestyle factors, including physical activity, sleep and diet have also been robustly linked to both emotional and physical wellbeing. However, it is yet unclear whether these lifestyle factors may moderate the association between ELS and psycho-physical comorbidity.

METHODS

We investigated whether (a) participation in physical activity, (b) sleep duration, and (c) adherence to a Mediterranean diet, moderated the relationship between cumulative ELS exposure over the first 10 years of life and psycho-physical comorbidity at the age of 13.5 years. Analyses were conducted in 2022-2023, using data from two large adolescent samples based in the UK (ALSPAC; n = 8428) and The Netherlands (Generation R; n = 4268).

RESULTS

Exposure to ELS was significantly associated with a higher risk of developing comorbidity, however this association was not modified by any of the three lifestyle factors investigated. Only physical activity was significantly associated with a reduced risk of comorbidity in one cohort (ORALSPAC [95%CI] = 0.73 [0.59;0.89]).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, while we found some evidence that more frequent physical activity may be associated with a reduction in psycho-physical comorbidity, we did not find evidence in support of the hypothesised moderation effects. However, more research is warranted to examine how these associations may evolve over time.

Melatonin Use in Infants Admitted to Intensive Care Units

OBJECTIVES

Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for delirium development, which is a frequent complication of intensive care unit admission. Melatonin has been used for both delirium prevention and treatment. Melatonin safety, efficacy, and dosing information in neonates and infants is lacking. The purpose of this study was to describe melatonin use in infants regarding indication, dosing, efficacy, and safety.

METHODS

This descriptive, retrospective study included infants <12 months of age admitted to an intensive care unit receiving melatonin. Data collection included demographics, melatonin regimen, sedative and analgesic agents, antipsychotics, and delirium-causing medications. The primary objective was to identify the melatonin indication and median dose. The secondary objectives included change in delirium, pain, and sedation scores; change in dosing of analgesic and sedative agents; and adverse event identification. Wilcoxon signed rank tests and linear mixed models were employed with significance defined at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Fifty-five patients were included, with a median age of 5.5 months (IQR, 3.9-8.2). Most (n = 29; 52.7%) received melatonin for sleep promotion. The median body weight-based dose was 0.31 mg/kg/dose (IQR, 0.20-0.45). There was a statistical reduction in cumulative morphine equivalent dosing 72 hours after melatonin administration versus before, 17.1 versus 21.4 mg/kg (p = 0.049). No adverse events were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients (n = 29; 52.7%) received melatonin for sleep promotion at a median dose was 0.31 mg/kg/dose. Initiation of melatonin was associated with a reduction of opioid exposure; however, there was no reduction in pain/sedation scores.

Melatonin use in children and adolescents: A scoping review of caregiver perspectives

Despite melatonin's popularity as a pediatric sleep-aid, little has been investigated around caregivers' understanding and perception of melatonin use for their dependent. This scoping review analyzes the current literature on pediatric melatonin use, to understand how caregivers' perceptions around melatonin are shaped by their illness/medication-related beliefs, treatment experience and preferences. A literature search was conducted across Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, generating 184 results for screening against the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies were retrieved, comprising of 1561 children and adolescents, aged 8.7 ± 2.3 years (range: 0-44 years), conducted primarily in the United States of America (n = 6), Canada (n = 3) and the Netherlands (n = 3). Studies were evaluated for their study design and caregiver-centered outcomes, encompassing: 1) illness/treatment-related beliefs, 2) treatment satisfaction/effectiveness, 3) treatment preference/acceptability, and 4) impact of child's sleep disturbance on caregivers' quality-of-life. Sleep disturbances necessitating melatonin use occurred alongside congenital/neurodevelopmental comorbidities in 18 studies (95%). Melatonin was commonly associated with "naturalness" and "safety". Concepts of treatment satisfaction versus effectiveness were minimally differentiated within included studies. Caregivers preferred concurrent use of melatonin and behavioral interventions for management of their dependents' sleep. Improved sleep in the dependent generally led to better quality-of-life for caregivers and their family.

Recommended timing of medications that impact sleep and wakefulness: A review of the American Prescribers' Digital Reference

An appreciable number of medicines have a recommended unique single time-of-day or asymmetrical or unequal-interval multiple-daily administration schedule. Many prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) products, according to administration time, can exert positive or negative impact on nighttime sleep and daytime wakefulness. Intuitively, medicines used to manage nighttime sleep and daytime wake disorders should be taken, respectively, at night before bedtime and morning after arising. However, some utilized for other medical conditions, if improperly timed, may compromise nocturnal sleep and diurnal attentiveness. We conducted a comprehensive review of the American Prescribers' Digital Reference, internet version of the Physician's Desk Reference, for the recommended scheduling of medications and OTC remedies that can impact sleep and wakefulness. The search revealed several hundred therapies of various classes -- α₂-receptor agonists, antidepressants, barbiturates, central nervous system stimulants, benzodiazepines, dopamine agonists, dopamine norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, eugeroics, γ-aminobutyric acid modulators, H₁ and H₃-receptor antagonists, melatonin analogues, OTC melatonin-containing products, non-benzodiazepine benzodiazepine-receptor agonists, dual orexin-receptor antagonists, and serotonin modulators -- that have a recommended unique dosing schedule. The tables and text of this article are intended to guide the proper scheduling of these medicines to optimize desired and/or minimize undesired effects.

Sleep Problems and Autism Impairments in a Large Community Sample of Children and Adolescents

Sleep problems are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How sleep problems reflect specific ASD phenotypes is unclear. We studied whether sleep problems indexed functional impairment in a heterogeneous community sample of individuals with ASD. We analyzed 977 probands (233 females; age = 11.27 ± 4.13 years) from the Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment dataset, a unique public-private-academic collaboration involving all major points of service for families in Rhode Island. We found that individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD were more likely to have sleep problems. However, across the whole sample and above and beyond a formal diagnosis, sleep problems were dimensionally associated with worse social impairment and poorer adaptive functioning. By using a large dataset reflective of the diversity of presentations in the community, this study underscores the importance of considering sleep problems in clinical practice to improve adaptive functioning in individuals with ASD.

Prevalence of Sleep Disorders, Risk Factors and Sleep Treatment Needs of Adolescents and Young Adult Childhood Cancer Patients in Follow-Up after Treatment

Simple Summary

Sleep disorders negatively impact adolescent and young adult childhood cancer patients’ physical and psychosocial health. Early recognition might improve timely treatment. This national cohort study describes subjective sleep disorders (using a validated self-report questionnaire according to international diagnostic criteria) in childhood cancer patients after treatment, including all types of diagnoses. Sleep disorder prevalence rates ranged from 1.8–9.6%. Insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders were most commonly reported and more prevalent than in the general population. Female sex, young adulthood (18–26 years old) and co-morbid health conditions were risk factors for having a sleep disorder, but cancer-related factors were not. The most commonly used sleep medication was melatonin, which exceeded use described in the general population. Patients with a sleep disorder expressed an unmet need for sleep treatment. Screening for sleep disorders after cancer might improve access to treatment and support childhood cancer patients to maintain optimal health and quality of life.

Abstract

Background: Sleep disorders negatively impact adolescent and young adult childhood cancer patients’ physical and psychosocial health. Early recognition improves timely treatment. We therefore studied the prevalence of subjective sleep disorders, risk factors and sleep treatment needs after completion of childhood cancer treatment. Methods: Childhood cancer patients (12–26 years old), ≥6 months after treatment, were invited to fill out the Holland Sleep Disorders Questionnaire, which distinguishes six sleep disorders in substantial agreement with the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, second edition (ICSD-2). They additionally indicated sleep treatment needs. Prevalence rates and needs were displayed in percentages. Logistic regression models were used for risk factors. Results: 576 patients participated (response rate 55.8%)—49.5% females, mean age 17.0 years, 44.4% hemato-oncology, 31.9% solid tumors, 23.6% neuro-oncology. Prevalence rates were: insomnia (9.6%), circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD; 8.1%), restless legs syndrome (7.6%), parasomnia (3.5%), hypersomnia (3.5%) and sleep-related breathing disorders (1.8%). Female sex, comorbid health conditions and young adulthood seem to be risk factors for sleep disorders, but cancer-related factors were not. Differing per sleep disorder, 42–72% wanted help, but only 0–5.6% received sleep treatment. Conclusions: Insomnia and CRSD were most prevalent. An unmet need for sleep treatment was reported by childhood cancer patients during follow-up. Screening for sleep disorders after cancer might improve access to treatment and patient wellbeing.

Workshop report. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: gaps and opportunities

This White Paper presents the results from a workshop cosponsored by the Sleep Research Society (SRS) and the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (SRBR) whose goals were to bring together sleep clinicians and sleep and circadian rhythm researchers to identify existing gaps in diagnosis and treatment and areas of high-priority research in circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWD). CRSWD are a distinct class of sleep disorders caused by alterations of the circadian time-keeping system, its entrainment mechanisms, or a misalignment of the endogenous circadian rhythm and the external environment. In these disorders, the timing of the primary sleep episode is either earlier or later than desired, irregular from day-to-day, and/or sleep occurs at the wrong circadian time. While there are incomplete and insufficient prevalence data, CRSWD likely affect at least 800,000 and perhaps as many as 3 million individuals in the United States, and if Shift Work Disorder and Jet Lag are included, then many millions more are impacted. The SRS Advocacy Taskforce has identified CRSWD as a class of sleep disorders for which additional high-quality research could have a significant impact to improve patient care. Participants were selected for their expertise and were assigned to one of three working groups: Phase Disorders, Entrainment Disorders, and Other. Each working group presented a summary of the current state of the science for their specific CRSWD area, followed by discussion from all participants. The outcome of those presentations and discussions are presented here.

Efficacy and safety of supplemental melatonin for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in children: an overview

Delayed sleep–wake phase disorder (DSPD) is the most frequently occurring intrinsic circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorder, with the highest prevalence in adolescence. Melatonin is the first-choice drug treatment. However, to date melatonin (in a controlled-release formulation) is only authorised for the treatment of insomnia in children with autism or Smiths-Magenis syndrome. Concerns have been raised with respect to the safety and efficacy of melatonin for more general use in children, as melatonin has not undergone the formal safety testing required for a new drug, especially long-term safety in children. Melatonin is known to have profound effects on the reproductive systems of rodents, sheep and primates, as well as effects on the cardiovascular, immune and metabolic systems.

The objective of the present article was therefore to establish the efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin for use in children with DSPD, based on in vitro, animal model and clinical studies by reviewing the relevant literature in the Medline database using PubMed.

Acute toxicity studies in rats and mice showed toxic effects only at extremely high melatonin doses (>400 mg/kg), some tens of thousands of times more than the recommended dose of 3–6 mg in a person weighing 70 kg. Longer-term administration of melatonin improved the general health and survival of ageing rats or mice. A full range of in vitro/in vivo genotoxicity tests consistently found no evidence that melatonin is genotoxic. Similarly long term administration of melatonin in rats or mice did not have carcinogenic effects, or negative effects on cardiovascular, endocrine and reproductive systems.

With regard to clinical studies, in 19 randomised controlled trials comprising 841 children and adolescents with DSPD, melatonin treatment (usually of 4 weeks duration) consistently improved sleep latency by 22–60 min, without any serious adverse effects. Similarly, 17 randomised controlled trials, comprising 1374 children and adolescents, supplementing melatonin for indications other than DSPD, reported no relevant adverse effects. In addition, 4 long-term safety studies (1.0–10.8 yr) supplementing exogenous melatonin found no substantial deviation of the development of children with respect to sleep quality, puberty development and mental health scores. Finally, post-marketing data for an immediate-release melatonin formulation (Bio-melatonin), used in the UK since 2008 as an unlicensed medicine for sleep disturbance in children, recorded no adverse events to date on sales of approximately 600,000 packs, equivalent to some 35 million individual 3 mg tablet doses (MHRA yellow card adverse event recording scheme).

In conclusion, evidence has been provided that melatonin is an efficacious and safe chronobiotic drug for the treatment of DSPD in children, provided that it is administered at the correct time (3–5 h before endogenous melatonin starts to rise in dim light (DLMO)), and in the correct (minimal effective) dose. As the status of circadian rhythmicity may change during long-time treatment, it is recommended to stop melatonin treatment at least once a year (preferably during the summer holidays).

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Melatonin improves sleep onset without serious adverse effects in youths with DSPD. Change th text after the fourth bullet into: Melatonin is an efficacious and safe chronobiotic drug for the treatment of DSPD in youths.

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Melatonin for indications other than DSPD, dose not cause relevant adverse effects.

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Long term melatonin treatment does not impair sleep, puberty, and mental health.

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Melatonin is an efficacious and safe chronobiotic drug for the treatment of DSPD in youths.

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Melatonin should be administered at the correct time and in the minimal effective dose.