title: The use of melatonin in Swedish children and adolescents--a register-based study according to age, gender, and medication of ADHD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of melatonin is increasing among Swedish children and adolescents despite deficient knowledge of usage in these groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of melatonin in Swedish children and adolescents according to age, gender, dosage, treatment duration, and use of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register was analyzed for children and adolescents 0-19 years old in Sweden during 2006-2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of new users of melatonin in 2013 was 4296 and 3093 among boys and girls, respectively. Girls started treatment with melatonin in older ages compared to boys. Regular users of melatonin were most common among boys 10-14 years. The average defined daily dose (DDD) per regular user was decreasing from 2.4 DDD in 2006 to 1.7 DDD in 2012. Among girls and boys 5-9 years who were regular users in 2010, over 40 and 50%, respectively, were still regular users in 2013. In the age group 15-19 years, only about 10% were still regular users in 2013. In 2013, 65% of boys and 49% of girls, using melatonin regularly, also used medication for ADHD regularly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More Swedish boys than girls used melatonin regularly. The boys started treatment earlier and more often combined regular use of melatonin with regular use of medication for ADHD. This indicates that girls and boys partly are prescribed melatonin for different reasons. About half of the younger children stayed on melatonin treatment for several years, while 90% of adolescents (15-19 years) concluded their treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden, catrin.furster@apotekhjartat.se.
authors.forename: Catrin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furster
authors.forename: Maria Unenge
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Hallerbäck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008550:Melatonin