Efficacy and safety of oral melatonin in patients with severe COVID-19: a randomized controlled trial.

Patients with COVID-19 have shown melatonin deficiency. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of administration oral melatonin in patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive melatonin plus standard treatment or standard treatment alone. The primary outcomes were mortality rate and requirement of IMV. The clinical status of patients was recorded at baseline and every day over hospitalization based on seven-category ordinal scale from 1 (discharged) to 7 (death). A total of 226 patients (109 in the melatonin group and 117 in the control group) were enrolled (median age; in melatonin group: 54.60 ± 11.51, in control group: 54.69 ± 13.40). The mortality rate was 67% in the melatonin group and 94% in the control group (OR; 7.75, 95% CI, 3.27-18.35, P < 0.001). The rate of IMV requirement was 51.4% in the melatonin group and 70.9% in the control group, for an OR of 2.31 (95% CI, 1.34-4.00, P < 0.001). The median number of days to hospital discharge was 15 days (13-17) in the melatonin group and 21 days (14-24) in the control group (OR; 5.00, 95% CI, 0.15-9.84, P = 0.026). Time to clinical status improvement by ≥ 2 on the ordinal scale in was 12 days (9-13) in the melatonin group and 16 days (10-19) in the control group (OR; 3.92, 95% CI, 1.69-6.14, P = 0.038). Melatonin significantly improved clinical status with a safe profile in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Evaluation of the effect of melatonin in patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: We investigate the effects of melatonin, compared to the usual therapeutic regimen on clinical symptoms and laboratory signs in severely ill patients with confirmed COVID-19 who are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). TRIAL DESIGN: This is a single-center, open-label, randomized, clinical trial with a parallel-group design. This study is being conducted at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: All patients admitted to the ICU of Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran, will be screened for the following criteria. Inclusion criteria 1. Age >20 years 2. Definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 based on RT-PCR or/and serological testing 3. Severe pneumonia and lung involvement in imaging 4. Signing informed consent Exclusion criteria 1. Underlying diseases, including convulsive disorders, chronic hepatic and renal diseases 2. Use of mechanical ventilation 3. History of known allergy to Melatonin 4. Pregnancy and breastfeeding INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Intervention group: The standard treatment regimen for COVID-19, according to the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education's protocol, along with Melatonin soft gelatin capsule (Danna Pharmaceutical Company) at a dose of 5 mg twice a day for a period of seven days. CONTROL GROUP: The standard treatment for COVID-19 based on the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education's protocol for a period of seven days. MAIN OUTCOMES: The primary outcomes are the recovery rate of clinical symptoms and checking arterial blood gas (ABG), C-reactive protein (C-RP), Ferritin, Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) within seven days of randomization. The secondary outcomes are time to improvement of clinical and paraclinical features and length of stay in the ICU, need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality rate within seven days of randomization. RANDOMIZATION: Included patients will be allocated to one of the study arms using block randomization in a 1:1 ratio (each block consists of 6 patients). This randomization method ensures a balanced allocation between the arms during the study. A web-based system will generate random numbers for the allocation sequence and concealment of participants. Each number relates to one of the study arms. BLINDING (MASKING): This is an open-label trial without blinding and placebo control. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMIZED (SAMPLE SIZE): A total of 60 participants randomizes (30 patients allocated to the intervention group and 30 patients allocated to the control group). TRIAL STATUS: The protocol is Version 1.0, February 16, 2021. Recruitment began February 28, 2021, and is anticipated to be completed by July 31, 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial protocol has been registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT). The registration number is " IRCT20200506047323N7 ". The registration date was February 16, 2021. FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest of expediting the dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Melatonin in moderately ill patients with COVID-19: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: We will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Melatonin, compared to the standard therapeutic regimen on clinical symptoms and serum inflammatory parameters in patients with confirmed COVID-19, who are moderately ill. TRIAL DESIGN: This is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a parallel-group design conducted at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: All patients admitted to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Departments of Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran will be screened for the following criteria. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Age ≥20 years 2. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis (positive polymerase chain reaction). 3. Moderate COVID-19 pneumonia (via computed tomography and or X-ray imaging), requiring hospitalization. 4. Hospitalized ≤48 hours. 5. Signing informed consent and willingness of the participant to accept randomization to any assigned treatment arm. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Underlying diseases, including chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, seizure, depression, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and cholestatic liver diseases. 2. Severe and critical COVID-19 pneumonia. 3. Use of warfarin, corticosteroids, hormonal drugs, alcohol, other antiviral and investigational medicines, and illegal drugs (during the last 30 days). 4. History of known allergy to Melatonin. 5. Pregnancy and breastfeeding. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Intervention group: The standard treatment regimen for COVID-19, according to the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education's protocol, along with Melatonin capsules at a dose of 50 mg daily for a period of seven days. CONTROL GROUP: The standard therapeutic regimen for COVID-19 along with Melatonin-like placebo capsules at a dose of one capsule daily for a period of seven days. Both Melatonin and placebo capsules were prepared at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. MAIN OUTCOMES: The primary outcomes are the recovery rate of clinical symptoms and oxygen saturation as well as improvement of serum inflammatory parameters, including C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-ɑ), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-6 within seven days of randomization. The secondary outcomes are the time to improve clinical and paraclinical features along with the incidence of serious adverse drug reactions within seven days of randomization. RANDOMIZATION: Included patients will be allocated to one of the study arms using block randomization in a 1:1 ratio (each block consists of 10 patients). This randomization method ensures a balanced allocation between the arms during the study. A web-based system will generate random numbers for the allocation sequence and concealment of participants. Each number relates to one of the study arms. BLINDING (MASKING): All study participants, clinicians, nurses, research coordinators, and those analyzing the data are blinded to the group assignment. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMIZED (SAMPLE SIZE): A total of 60 patients randomized into two groups (30 in each group). TRIAL STATUS: The trial protocol is Version 1.0, August 14, 2020. Recruitment began August 22, 2020, and is anticipated to be completed by November 30, 2020. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial protocol has been registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT). The registration number is " IRCT20200506047323N5 ". The registration date was 14 August 2020. FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting the dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

The dilemma of COVID-19 in dental practice concerning the role of saliva in transmission: a brief review of current evidence.

From December 12, 2019, a pandemic of acute respiratory syndrome, the novel human coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by a novel ß-coronavirus (2019- nCoV) began to grow globally by person-to-person transmission. The production of airborne material during aerosol generating dental procedures would expose dental team and patients to remarkable risk of transmission concerning the faceto- face communication and splattered saliva, blood, and other body fluids. Dental professionals can be a substantial help in preventing the transmission of COVID-19. This study has reviewed relevant current evidences in literature that has addressed the role of saliva and the threats that may be inherent in transmission of the disease during dental procedures. The study also offers feasible proactive and preventive measures for dental practice during the outbreak to block possible person-toperson or indirect transmission in dental settings.