Melatonin is useful alternative for sedation in children undergoing auditory brainstem responses testing

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing is crucial for assessing pediatric auditory function, typically requiring deep sleep to minimize artifacts.
• Current sedation methods carry risks like respiratory depression, necessitating alternatives for outpatient ABR testing.
• Melatonin, a natural hormone, is explored for its sedative properties in pediatric electrophysiological assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and utility of melatonin as a sedative agent for children undergoing Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing.
• To assess melatonin's impact on sleep induction, duration, and quality in pediatric patients during ABR procedures.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 247 children undergoing ABR testing assessed the success rate of complete bilateral ABR, sleep delay, and sleep quality after melatonin administration.
• Sleep quality was categorized as continuous or discontinuous, with interventions noted for discontinuous sleep.

Main Results:

• A high success rate of 83.4% was achieved for complete bilateral ABR testing under melatonin-induced sleep.
• The mean sleep delay was 32 minutes, with 75.7% of infants experiencing continuous sleep.
• Discontinuous sleep occurred in 24.27% of cases, managed with nursing or a second melatonin dose.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin is an effective and safe outpatient sedation method for pediatric ABR testing, promoting natural sleep and reducing sleep onset time.
• It offers a beneficial alternative to general anesthesia, minimizing adverse effects and respiratory depression risks.
• Melatonin's utility is demonstrated in facilitating outpatient ABR assessments in diverse settings, including Morocco.