Vol. 2 No. 5 (2022)
Health Technology Reviews

Melatonin for the Treatment or Prevention of Delirium

Published May 17, 2022

Key Messages

  • Variable findings were reported for clinical effectiveness of melatonin for the prevention or treatment of delirium compared with placebo in the literature that met the criteria for this review.
  • No studies that met the criteria for this review were found on the clinical effectiveness of melatonin for the prevention and/or treatment of delirium versus antipsychotic drugs or cholinergic agents.
  • There was limited evidence available on the clinical effectiveness of melatonin for the prevention and/or treatment of delirium versus dexmedetomidine.
  • There were no statistically or clinically significant harms reported from the use of melatonin in the treatment of patients at risk from or experiencing delirium.
  • Limited guidance was found that provided recommendations for the use of melatonin in the prevention and//or treatment of delirium for hospitalized inpatients.