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Effects of Melatonin in Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Does Melatonin Improve Neurocognitive Function, Cardiovascular Outcomes and Control of Breathing in Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Status
Terminated
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03492736
Enrollment
1
Registered
2018-04-10
Start date
2018-04-01
Completion date
2018-10-01
Last updated
2019-01-31

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Brief summary

The investigators have previously shown that 1 week of 10mg Melatonin improves sleep consolidation in untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. This study aims to extend on those findings to determine if longer treatment of Melatonin improves other outcomes in untreated OSA patients.

Detailed description

Intermittent hypoxia (low oxygen), sleep fragmentation and restriction are characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cause mental deficits and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Melatonin (MLT) is a hormone with sleep promoting properties and the investigators have found 7 days 10mg MLT treatment significantly increases sleep consolidation in untreated OSA. Thus, melatonin could improve mental function. MLT also has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties. In humans with CVD and metabolic disorder exogenous MLT improves a wide range of cardio-metabolic outcomes. In rat models of OSA, MLT completely blocks intermittent hypoxia induced cardiovascular damage and brain cell death. Intermittent hypoxia also induces lasting changes in the neural control of breathing, which worsens OSA. Experimentally antioxidants block the induction of changes to neural control of breathing. Thus MLT may also normalize the control of breathing and reduce the severity of OSA. Given these findings, the hypothesis is that MLT will improve mental function, cardiovascular outcomes and control of breathing in untreated OSA.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTMelatonin

30 days 10mg Melatonin taken nightly 1 hour before bed

OTHERPlacebo

30 days placebo taken nightly 1 hour before bed

Sponsors

Naomi Deacon
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Intervention model description

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
30 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* moderate-severe OSA (AHI ≥15/hr)

Exclusion criteria

* non-English speakers (due to necessity to complete neurocognitive testing) * other sleep disorders * history of driving or other accidents due to sleepiness or an Epworth score (ESS)\> 18 * pregnant * smokers (quit ≥ 1 year ago acceptable) * diabetes * cardiac (other than hypertension), pulmonary, renal, neurologic, neuromuscular or hepatic disease * Substantial alcohol (\>3oz/day) or use of illicit drugs * psychiatric disorders (other than depression or anxiety) * current MLT use or use within last 6 months * beta blockers, central nervous system depressants or stimulants, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, vitamins, antioxidants.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
PHQ-9 scorebaseline versus on the 30th day of treatment9 Questions relating to depressive symptoms. Answers to each question rank from 0-3. Minimum total score = 0, maximum total score = 27, with \>=10 indicating clinically significant moderate severity depressive symptoms.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Reactive Hyperemia Indexbaseline versus on the 30th day of treatmentEndothelial function is calculated as the ratio between the magnitude of the mean post-occlusion pulse wave amplitude and mean baseline pulse wave amplitude.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Hypoxic ventilatory responsebaseline versus on the 30th day of treatmentchange in ventilation per change in expiratory CO2 during sustained hypoxia

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026