title: Melatonin secretion in children with epilepsy.
abstract: This study examined melatonin (MLT) system in children with epilepsy. Diurnal patterns of salivary MLT, urinary metabolite 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, core body temperature, pulse and blood pressure were measured in 51 children with epilepsy (6.6-17.9 years) and 29 comparison children (5.5-17.3 years). The children with epilepsy preserved MLT and other circadian rhythms. In nine children with epilepsy (17.6%), peak salivary MLT concentrations were very high. There were no associations between MLT secretion/excretion parameters (diurnal profile, peak nocturnal concentrations, area under the time curve, duration of elevated concentrations, acrophase) and seizure characteristics (time, type of seizures, antiepileptic medications). The study observations are important for understanding of the MLT system in epilepsy and for exploring the potential for seizure treatment with melatonin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinic, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ruta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Praninskiene
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dumalakiene
authors.forename: Robertas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kemezys
authors.forename: Mykolas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mauricas
authors.forename: Aurelija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jucaite
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin