Comparison 1. Melatonin versus placebo: efficacy.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 total nocturnal sleep time (minutes)	2	184	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	10.68 [‐16.22, 37.59]
1.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	2	106	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐37.13, 34.45]
1.2 melatonin slow‐release	1	78	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	26.30 [‐14.49, 67.09]
2 sleep efficiency	1	151	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.01 [‐0.04, 0.03]
2.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.01 [‐0.06, 0.04]
2.2 melatonin slow‐release	1	78	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.05, 0.05]
3 nocturnal time awake (minutes)	1	151	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	9.08 [‐7.51, 25.66]
3.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	10.80 [‐11.90, 33.50]
3.2 melatonin slow‐release	1	78	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	7.10 [‐17.20, 31.40]
4 number of night‐time awakenings	1	33	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	6.00 [‐2.65, 14.65]
5 ratio of daytime sleep to night‐time sleep	2	184	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.13 [‐0.29, 0.03]
5.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	2	106	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.12 [‐0.28, 0.05]
5.2 melatonin slow‐release	1	78	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.25 [‐0.78, 0.28]
6 carer‐rated sleep quality, change from baseline	2	164	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.29, 0.38]
6.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.21 [‐0.71, 0.29]
6.2 melatonin slow‐release	2	91	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.25 [‐0.19, 0.69]
7 MMSE, change from baseline	2	162	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.09 [‐0.85, 1.03]
7.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.54 [‐1.99, 0.91]
7.2 melatonin slow‐release	2	89	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.54 [‐0.69, 1.76]
8 ADAS‐cog, change from baseline	2	162	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.03 [‐2.70, 0.65]
8.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐2.95, 2.09]
8.2 melatonin slow‐release	2	89	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.50 [‐3.74, 0.74]
9 ADL, change from baseline	2	162	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.02 [‐0.32, 0.35]
9.1 melatonin (immediate‐release)	1	73	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.08 [‐0.42, 0.57]
9.2 melatonin slow‐release	2	89	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.04 [‐0.48, 0.41]