High nocturnal melatonin in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome

Decreased quality of sleep is frequently reported by chronic fatigue syndro me (CFS) patients. The pineal hormone melatonin is involved in regulation o f sleep. We analyzed the nocturnal rise in melatonin in 13 adolescent CFS p atients and 15 healthy age-matched controls. Saliva samples were collected at hourly intervals between 1700 and 0200 h. Nocturnal saliva melatonin lev els were significantly higher in CFS patients, compared with controls, at m idnight, 0100 h, and 0200 h (P < 0.001). No differences were observed in ti ming of melatonin increase in saliva between patients and controls. Time of sleep onset and duration of sleep did not differ significantly between pat ients and controls. However, all CFS patients and only one of the controls in our study group reported unrefreshing sleep. Our data demonstrate that s leep problems in adolescents with CFS are associated with increased melaton in levels during the first part of the night. Based on these data, we sugge st that there is no indication for melatonin supplementation in adolescents with CFS.