Efficacy and moderators of prevention and treatment of delirium with melatonin receptor agonists: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Delirium is a complex and heterogeneous condition that significantly affects patient outcome. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of melatonin and melatonin receptor agonists (MRAs) on delirium prevention and treatment. Randomized controlled studies, using MRAs as an intervention and placebo as a control were included. We conducted meta-analyses with random-effects model and trial sequential analysis. A total of 33 studies involving 4850 participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed a significant preventive effect of MRAs on delirium (risk ratio = 0.65, p