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Published on: October 2, 2019
Melatonin rhythm in children with enuresis.
Julio Ardura-Fernandez1, Jesus M Andres De Llano, Jose R Garmendia-Leiza
1GIR Cronobiologia, Cellular Biology and Physiology, Universidad De Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. ardura@ped.uva.es
BJU International
|October 13, 2006
Summary
Children with enuresis showed minor disturbances in their circadian rhythm of melatonin, with lower peak levels at 4 AM compared to controls. However, the overall melatonin rhythm was not grossly disrupted in enuretic patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Sleep medicine
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Enuresis, or bedwetting, is a common childhood condition.
- Melatonin, a hormone regulating sleep-wake cycles, plays a role in circadian rhythms.
- Disruptions in circadian rhythm have been implicated in various medical conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the circadian rhythm of melatonin in children diagnosed with enuresis.
- To compare melatonin levels and patterns between enuretic children and a control group.
Main Methods:
- Salivary melatonin levels were measured in 25 children (enuretic patients and controls) over a 24-hour period using radioimmunoassay.
- Statistical analyses included Friedman two-way ANOVA, Wilcoxon tests, ANOVA with between-patient factors, and Mann-Whitney tests.
Main Results:
- Both enuretic children and controls exhibited a statistically significant circadian rhythm of melatonin, with peak levels around 4:00 AM.
- While overall melatonin levels did not differ significantly between groups, enuretic patients showed lower peak melatonin at 4:00 AM and higher levels at midnight compared to controls, though these were not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- The study found some evidence suggesting minor disturbances in the circadian rhythm of melatonin in children with enuresis.
- These disturbances are potentially linked to the cause of enuresis but do not represent a gross disruption of the melatonin rhythm.
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