Disruption of the Diurnal Rhythm of Plasma Melatonin in Cirrhosis

15 August 1995 | Volume 123 Issue 4 | Pages 274-277

Objectives: To assess 24-hour plasma melatonin profile as a marker of output rhythm from the circadian clock and to study sleep diaries as reflections of subjective sleep quality in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Clinical research center in a university hospital.

Patients: Seven patients with cirrhosis but not alcoholism and seven age-, sex-, and education-matched controls.

Measurements: Neuropsychological testing to confirm subclinical hepatic encephalopathy. Plasma melatonin levels measured every 30 minutes for 24 hours by radioimmunoassay. Sleep diaries kept for 1 week before admission.

Results: Patients with cirrhosis had markedly elevated melatonin levels during daytime hours; in addition, the time of onset of melatonin increase and the time at which melatonin levels peaked were consistently and significantly delayed in these patients. Sleep diaries indicated more nocturnal awakenings and more frequent daytime naps in patients with cirrhosis.

Conclusion: Disruption of the diurnal rhythm of melatonin may reflect alterations of circadian function that could contribute to the disturbances of the sleep-wake cycle frequently seen in patients with cirrhosis.

Author and Article Information

From Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Lakeside Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Rehabilitation Institute, Chicago, Illinois.
Requests for Reprints: Andres T. Blei, MD, Lakeside Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 333 East Huron Street, Department of Medicine 111E, Chicago, IL 60611.
Acknowledgments: The authors thank Drs. Eve Van Cauter and Fred Turek for their valuable criticism.
Grant Support: In part by a Merit Review from the Veterans Administration Research Service; the Northwestern Memorial Foundation; and grant RR 00048 from the National Institutes of Health.