Loss of melatonin daily rhythmicity is asociated with delirium development in hospitalized older adults.
Delirium is associated with circadian rhythm disruption. In this study we have explored whether circadian variation of melatonin is an indicator for delirium. Melatonin levels were determined from the first day of hospitalization and up to three days after the onset of delirium. Patients who did not developed delirium exhibited a daily melatonin rhythm, while in patients that developed delirium, the melatonin rhythm was lost and mean melatonin levels were found decreased as early as three days before the diagnosis of delirium, indicating that on arrival to the hospital circadian melatonin disruption can be used as an indicator of delirium.
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
Manuel
M
Ángeles-Castellanos
Hospital "Manuel Gea González", S.S. México, Mexico.
Fátima
F
Ramírez-Gonzalez
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
Laura
L
Ubaldo-Reyes
Instituno Nacional de Cancerología, S.S. México, Mexico.
Oscar
O
Rodriguez-Mayoral
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
Carolina
C
Escobar
Circadian rhythm; Dementia; Geriatric; Human; Sleep