Sleep Problems and Melatonin Prescription After Concussion Among Youth Athletes.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of sleep disturbances on concussion symptom recovery and to examine the effect of melatonin prescription on symptom improvement among concussed adolescents with sleep problems.

DESIGN: Longitudinal test-retest.

SETTING: Sports medicine clinic.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 8 to 18 years, diagnosed with a concussion, evaluated within 14 days after injury, and evaluated again 15 to 35 days after injury.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: We grouped patients based on whether they reported sleep disturbances within 14 days of injury.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures included symptom severity, headache severity, melatonin prescription, and the change in symptom severity between visits.

RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-five patients were included: 36% who reported sleep problems (44% female; age = 14.4 ± 2.0 years; evaluated 7.3 ± 3.8 and 23.2 ± 5.4 days after injury) and 64% who did not (32% female; age = 14.6 ± 2.3 years; evaluated 7.2 ± 3.4 and 23.0 ± 5.3 days after injury). Those with sleep problems reported higher symptom severity than those without across the 2 visits (22.1 ± 14.3 vs 14.6 ± 12.5; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the change in symptom severity between visits among those who received [median = 9-point improvement; interquartile range (IQR) = 1-14] and did not (median = 9, IQR = 2-18) receive a melatonin prescription (P = 0.80).

CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems among pediatric patients within 2 weeks of concussion are associated with more severe symptoms. Melatonin prescription was not associated with faster symptom recovery.