UntUnlocking the potential of melatonin supplementation for cancer-related fatigue relief: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsitled Item

A meta-analysis of five trials examining melatonin use during chemo-radiation found no significant improvement in fatigue scores among cancer patients. This analysis had limitations, including missing data and the absence of dose-response evaluations. To address these issues and the conflicting data from primary studies, a new dose-response meta-analysis was conducted, incorporating randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Using a random-effects model, the analysis evaluated standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) before and after melatonin and placebo administration. The study included 12 clinical trials with 18 effect sizes involving 1,977 patients. The pooled SMD indicated a significant reduction in fatigue scores following melatonin supplementation. A nonlinear dose-response analysis revealed a significant inverse association with melatonin doses below 18 mg/day, while no correlation was found between the duration of melatonin intervention and changes in fatigue scores. Further trials with more complex designs are necessary to validate these findings.