Effects of Melatonin Should Be Studied Separately in Each Neurodevelopmental Disorder and With Specific Sleep Diagnoses

Abstract

In a recent study, de Leersnyder et al. reported on the retrospective results of using prolonged-release melatonin for chronic sleep disturbance in 88 sleep-disturbed children with various neurodevelopmental disorders [1]. Prolonged-release melatonin proved safe and effective, and the limiting absence of placebo control was acknowledged by the authors. We would like to discuss what may be considered definition and selection biases in this study.