The relationship between melatonin metabolite level and clinical findings and sleep problems in autism spectrum disorder (tur)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin level, which is thought to have a role in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), on the clinical severity of ASD and accompanying sleep disorder. METHODS: A total of 30 children who were 4- to 10-year-old and diagnosed with ASD and 20 healthy children were included. Melatonin metabolite 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate levels measured in 12-hour night urine were compared between the two groups. Childhood Autism Rating Scale was used to determine the clinical severity of autism, Children's Sleep Questionnaire was used to screen current sleep problems, besides sleep problems were evaluated subjectively RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate levels measured in 12-hour night urine between the two groups (p=0.566). The relationship between Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores and 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate levels of children with ASD was evaluated, no statistically significant difference was found (p=0.548, r: -,114). There was no significant relationship between the Children's Sleep Questionnaire scores and 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate levels in the ASD group (p=0.790). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study is one of the few studies in this field; there was no statistically significant difference between the melatonin metabolite values in both groups. There was no relationship between clinical severity and sleep habits of ASD and melatonin metabolite in urine. There is a need for future studies to be conducted with more sample groups of children diagnosed with ASD who have obvious sleep disorders.

Keywords

• autism spectrum disorders
• melatonin
• 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfat
• sleep
• child