Melatonin trials show no clear reduction in delirium during critical illness
A review of randomized trials found no statistically clear reduction in delirium or mortality with melatonin compared with placebo among critically ill patients.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The main analysis did not establish that melatonin reduced delirium in critically ill patients. Including all eligible trials produced a similar result, and mortality analyses also found no clear benefit. These findings leave uncertainty about the true effect; they do not prove that melatonin and placebo have identical effects.
The abstract does not describe treatment schedules or follow-up lengths. The delirium confidence interval spans lower and higher risk, so this analysis cannot establish equivalent effects.
What researchers found
Delirium incidence
Estimated risk with melatonin was 0.89 times that with placebo (pooled risk ratio; 95% CI 0.73–1.09). Follow-up duration was not reported in the abstract.
Why trial selection mattered
The main analysis prioritized trials with low or moderate risk of bias for each outcome. A separate analysis included all eligible trials, providing a check on whether that selection changed the overall conclusion.
What the uncertainty means
A risk ratio compares delirium risk between the melatonin and placebo groups. The central estimate favors melatonin, but its confidence interval spans both lower and higher risk, leaving uncertainty about a preventive benefit.
The original publication
Melatonin and delirium in the intensive care units: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Lakbar I, Poole D, Delamarre L et al.
Intensive Care Med · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41051561
- Record checked
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