Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29729237›Full record

Trial reportThe American journal of medicine2018

Melatonin and Sleep in Preventing Hospitalized Delirium: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Stuti J Jaiswal, Thomas J McCarthy, Nathan E Wineinger, Dae Y Kang, Janet Song, Solana Garcia, Christoffel J van Niekerk, Cathy Y Lu, Melissa Loeks, Robert L Owens

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The American journal of medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
4.3field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 70 citations in OpenAlex.

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  13. Melatonin: A Review of the Evidence for Use in Hospital Settings.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Stuti J JaiswalThe Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif; Department of Internal Medicine, Scripps Clinic/Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla, Calif. Electronic address: jaiswal.stuti@scrippshealth.org.
Thomas J McCarthyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Scripps Clinic/Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla, Calif.
Nathan E WineingerThe Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.
Dae Y KangDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, Calif.
Janet SongThe Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.
Solana GarciaThe Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.
Christoffel J van NiekerkDepartment of Internal Medicine, Scripps Clinic/Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla, Calif.
Cathy Y LuThe Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.
Melissa LoeksRespironics, Inc., a Philips Healthcare Company, Murrysville, Pa.
Robert L OwensDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, Calif.
Scripps Research Institute · USScripps Green Hospital · USUniversity of California San Diego · USPhilips (Finland) · FI

Funding

Scripps Translational Science InstituteUL1TR001114 · NCATS · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · PI TOPOL, ERIC JEFFREY · 2013 to 2017
$24.0M
Scripps Translational Science InstituteKL2TR001112 · NCATS · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · PI TOPOL, ERIC JEFFREY · 2013 to 2017
$3.0M
NCATS NIH HHS KL2 TR001112NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001114
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeStudies suggest that melatonin may prevent delirium, a condition of acute brain dysfunction occurring in 20%-30% of hospitalized older adults that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We examined the effect of melatonin on delirium prevention in hospitalized older adults while measuring sleep parameters as a possible underlying mechanism.

methodsThis was a randomized clinical trial measuring the impact of 3 mg of melatonin nightly on incident delirium and both objective and subjective sleep in inpatients age ≥65 years, admitted to internal medicine wards (non-intensive care units). Delirium incidence was measured by bedside nurses using the confusion assessment method. Objective sleep measurements (nighttime sleep duration, total sleep time per 24 hours, and sleep fragmentation as determined by average sleep bout length) were obtained via actigraphy. Subjective sleep quality was measured using the Richards Campbell Sleep Questionnaire.

resultsDelirium occurred in 22.2% (8/36) of subjects who received melatonin vs in 9.1% (3/33) who received placebo (P = .19). Melatonin did not significantly change objective or subjective sleep measurements. Nighttime sleep duration and total sleep time did not differ between subjects who became delirious vs those who did not, but delirious subjects had more sleep fragmentation (sleep bout length 7.0 ± 3.0 vs 9.5 ± 5.3 min; P = .03).

conclusionsMelatonin given as a nightly dose of 3 mg did not prevent delirium in non-intensive care unit hospitalized patients or improve subjective or objective sleep.

Indexed as

HospitalizationSleepAgedAged, 80 and overAntioxidantsCaliforniaDeliriumDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMelatoninSleep DeprivationAntioxidantsMelatoninDeliriumMelatoninSleep

Identifiers

PMID29729237
PMCPMC6163056
OpenAlexW2802164516

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.