title: [Circadian rhythms of melatonin of patients with severe traumatic brain injury].
abstract: The study was performed on a group of 5 patients with severe traumatic brain injury and in 2 healthy volunteers as the controls. The examination began 2-5 days after injury. The management of the patients and controls did not affect the natural melatonin circadian rhythm. The first result obtained was the characteristic nocturnal increase of the melatonin level in the healthy subjects. In a group of 5 patients with the severe traumatic brain injury the differences between the day and night time were insignificant. The results of the present study indicate that the severe brain injury gives rise to serious disturbances of the melatonin secretion in the acute posttraumatic period. These disturbances are characterized by the absence of the natural melatonin circadian rhythm. Despite the small number of patients, the obtained results justify further studies.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Neurotraumatologii, Collegium Medicum, Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moskała
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krupa
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gościński
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Traczewski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin