Journal of pineal research
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Clinical Trial
Utility of melatonin to treat surgical stress after major vascular surgery--a safety study.
Surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm is associated with elevated oxidative stress. As an antioxidant in animal and human studies, melatonin has the potential of ameliorating some of this oxidative stress, but melatonin has never been administered to adults during surgery for the purpose of reducing oxidative damage. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety of various doses of melatonin administered during or after surgery and to monitor the changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation during the pre-, intra-, and postoperative period. ⋯ These were not influenced by melatonin treatment. Treatment of patients undergoing major aortic surgery with melatonin intravenously up to 60 mg in the intraoperative phase was safe and without complications. Melatonin may decrease oxidative damage resulting from surgery, but randomized clinical trials are required before definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding the clinical benefit of melatonin in surgical situations.