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Abstract
Evaluation of: Merchant NM, Azzopardi DV, Hawwa AF et al. Pharmacokinetics of melatonin in preterm infants. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol. doi: 10.1111/bcp.12092 (2013) (Epub ahead of print).
The paper by Merchant et al. demonstrates that the pharmacokinetic profile of melatonin differs in preterm infants from that of adults. The findings of this study can guide the necessary future preventive and therapeutic clinical trials on melatonin in preterm infants. These studies are urgently needed to further evaluate the protective potential of melatonin in preterm infants. Melatonin acts as a potent endogenous antioxidant agent that antagonizes oxidative stress, and melatonin replacement therapy could thereby prevent the development of many disorders and diseases that can afflict preterm infants such as sepsis, asphyxia, respiratory distress or surgical complications. Since preterm infants are melatonin deficient, administration of the compound may provide the necessary levels to assure their health and well-being. Pharmacokinetic data such as those provided in the evaluated paper are necessary to establish safe and efficient melatonin treatment regimens in this highly susceptible population.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with financial interests in or financial conflicts with the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or potions, expert testimony, grants of patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.