title: Utility of salivary melatonin measurements in the assessment of the pineal physiology in newborn infants.
abstract: METHODS
  The aim of this study was to assess whether salivary melatonin could be used as a reliable alternative to serum melatonin to study the pineal physiology in newborn infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 95 newborn infants were allocated to four groups according to the time of sampling (09-11am, 03-05pm, 09-11pm, and 03-05am).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median melatonin levels in serum and saliva were not significantly different between groups: median (interquartile range), 18.4pg/mL (13.9-26.0pg/mL) and 10.6pg/mL (7.5-14.9pg/mL); 13.3pg/mL (11.5-19.0pg/mL) and 9.1pg/mL (7.8-14.2pg/mL); 16.0pg/mL (12.4-18.7pg/mL) and 12.3pg/mL (8.2-16.8pg/mL); 13.0pg/mL (8.8-27.4pg/mL) and 11.2pg/mL (7.7-16.6pg/mL) for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively (p>0.05). The results revealed a highly significant correlation between the serum and salivary melatonin levels (Pearson's correlation coefficient, r=0.763; P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin levels in saliva reflect those in serum at any time of the day and like serum melatonin levels do not increase at night.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, University of Bonn, Adenauerallee 119, D-53113 Bonn, Germany. soyhan.bagci@ukb.uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: Soyhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagci
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinsberg
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heep
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartmann
authors.forename: Axel R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Franz
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin