Affiliations: Department of Neurobiochemistry, Tel Aviv University,
Tel Aviv, Israel | Department of Neonatology, Meyer Children's Hospital,
Rambam Health Care Campus, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa,
Israel
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Sari Goldstein Ferber, PhD., Department of
Neurobiochemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Tel.: +972 3 6406372;
Fax: +972 3 6407643; E-mail: ferbers@post.tau.ac.il
Abstract: Melatonin production is known to be delayed in preterm infants up to
6~months of age. We aimed to test the profile of melatonin production in these
infants at 9–12 months of age. Twenty-three term and 23 preterm infants
(gestational age: 29–34 weeks) were randomly assigned. We tested
nocturnal urinary melatonin excretion, within a repeated measures design, both
at 9 and 12 months of age. Nocturnal urine was extracted from diapers and
urinary melatonin derivate (6-sulphatoxymelatonin) excretion was analyzed by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays. Preterm infants had significantly
lower urinary melatonin excretion both at 9 and 12 months of age as compared to
term infants. At 9 months: 8502 ± 6215 vs. 12,735 ± 10,284 ng,
and at 12 months: 8623 ± 5095 vs. 14,985 ± 10,890 ng
respectively, (F [1,42]=4.276), (P< 0.05). At 9 and 12 months of age, the
delayed maturation of melatonin production is still persistent in preterm
infants as compared to term mates. The impact of persistent decreased melatonin
production in preterm infants up to 12~months of age on their psychomotor and
lung development is to be elucidated.
