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Published on: February 17, 2023
Melatonin or its analogs as premedication to prevent emergence agitation in children: a systematic review and
Dongni Zhang1, Xiaotong Jia1, Duomao Lin1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China.
Insights
Melatonin premedication effectively reduces emergence agitation in children after anesthesia compared to placebos and midazolam. Dexmedetomidine shows a stronger preventative effect than melatonin.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Emergence agitation (EA) is a common complication in pediatric patients following general anesthesia.
- Existing research on melatonin's efficacy in preventing pediatric EA presents conflicting findings.
- This meta-analysis addresses the need for a comprehensive assessment of melatonin and its analogs for preventing EA.
Conclusions:
- Melatonin premedication is effective in decreasing the incidence of emergence agitation in children compared to placebo and midazolam.
- Dexmedetomidine exhibits a more potent effect than melatonin in preventing EA.
- Further research is recommended to confirm and strengthen the evidence on melatonin's efficacy in pediatric EA prevention.
Background:
Emergence agitation (EA) is a prevalent complication in children following general anesthesia. Several studies have assessed the relationship between melatonin or its analogs and the incidence of pediatric EA, yielding conflicting results. This meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of premedication with melatonin or its analogs on preventing EA in children after general anesthesia.
Methods:
PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, clinicaltrials.gov, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched until 25 November 2022. We included randomized controlled trials that assessed EA in patients less than 18 years old who underwent general anesthesia. We excluded studies that did not use a specific evaluation to assess EA.
Results:
Nine studies (951 participants) were included in this systematic review. Melatonin significantly reduced the incidence of EA compared with placebos (risk ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.61, P < 0.01) and midazolam (risk ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.73, P < 0.01). Dexmedetomidine remarkably decreased the incidence of EA compared with melatonin (risk ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.11 to 3.73, P = 0.02).
Conclusions:
Melatonin premedication significantly decreases the incidence of EA compared with placebos and midazolam. Dexmedetomidine premedication has a stronger effect than melatonin in preventing EA. Nevertheless, further studies are warranted to reinforce and validate the conclusion on the efficacy of melatonin premedication in mitigating EA in pediatric patients.
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