Evaluation and management of enuresis in the general paediatric setting.

Assessing enuresis involves distinguishing monosymptomatic from non-monosymptomatic for this common paediatric problem, and identifying concomitant comorbidities. Addressing co-occurring factors concurrently ensures the best opportunity for a satisfactory outcome. Treatment begins with patient and family education on the natural history of enuresis and practical behavioural guidance. Evidence to support particular interventions is limited, and children and families should be involved when choosing appropriate therapy. Enuresis alarms and desmopressin are treatment options when more active intervention is desired. Clinical refinements and combined treatment modalities are emerging.

Practical recommendations of the EAU-ESPU guidelines committee for monosymptomatic enuresis-Bedwetting.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The objective of this update of the EAU-ESPU guidelines recommendations for nocturnal enuresis was to review the recent published literature of studies, reviews, guidelines regarding the etiology, diagnosis and treatment options of nocturnal enuresis and transform the information into a practical recommendation strategy for the general practitioner, pediatrician, pediatric urologist and urologist. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since 2012 a monthly literature search using Scopus® was performed and the relevant literature was reviewed and prospectively registered on the European Urology bedwetting enuresis resource center (http://bedwetting.europeanurology.com/). In addition, guideline papers and statements of the European Society for Paediatric Urology (ESPU), the European Association of Urology (EAU), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the International Children Continence Society (ICCS) were used to update the knowledge and evidence resulting in this practical recommendation strategy. Recommendations have been discussed and agreed within the working group of the EAU-ESPU guidelines committee members. RESULTS: The recommendations focus to place the child and his family in a control position. Pragmatic analysis is made of the bedwetting problem by collecting voiding and drinking habits during the day, measuring nighttime urine production and identification of possible risk factors such as high-volume evening drinking, nighttime overactive bladder, behavioral or psychological problems or sleep disordered breathing. A questionnaire will help to identify those risk factors. CONCLUSION: Motivation of the child is important for success. Continuous involvement of the child and the family in the treatment will improve treatment compliance, success and patient satisfaction.

How often does urinary incontinence really affect primary school children?

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Urinary incontinence should be treated as a pathology in patients who are at least 5 years old, a few percent of patients continue to suffer from this disorderin adolescence. It can be qualified as day-time incontinence (DUI) and nocturnal-incontinence (enuresis-NE). The aim: To assess the incidence of micturition disorders in children aged 7 to 10, to analyze accompanying symptoms and compare the results with previous studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and methods: Parents of 954 children (491 girls and 463 boys) were surveyed during parent-teacher meetings held in 2017 in 11 randomly selected schools in southern Poland. The questionnaire was based on International Children's Continence Society guidelines. Study population was divided into subgroups according to demographical data, presence of accompanying symptoms and the type of micturition disorder. RESULTS: Results: Minor wetting was common in the studied population, however the group of children with clinically significant incontinence becomes smaller after applying current ICCS criteria. ≥1 symptom of urinary bladder malfunction was reported in 18% of cases (17.5% girls and 18.8% boys). Significant (≥1/month) NE was present in 1,7 % of children and significant (≥1/month) DUI in 2,2%. Significant NE combined with significant DUI occurred in 1% of children. Relationships between incontinence and the age at which children stopped wearing diapers, urinary tract infections, soiling and constipation episodes were observed. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Unified and clearly defined terminology should be used in order to correctly describe and compare the scale of this problem. Urinary incontinence should not be underestimated, because if untreated it may lead to physical, psychological and social disorders.

Monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis in pediatric patients: multidisciplinary assessment and effects of therapeutic intervention.

BACKGROUND: Few studies manage patients with isolated monosymptomatic enuresis (MNE) with multidisciplinary evaluation and pre- and long-term post-intervention monitoring. METHODS: This was a prospective study of MNE patients, aged 6-16 years, diagnosed by multidisciplinary assessment. Of the 140 initial applicants (58.6%) with MNE, 82 were included in the study and randomized for therapeutic intervention in three treatment groups, namely: alarm, desmopressin and alarm + desmopressin. Therapeutic response was evaluated 12 months after treatment withdrawal. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients [mean age 9.5 (SD ± 2.6) years, n = 62 males (75.6%)], 91.1% had a family history of nocturnal enuresis (NE) in first-/second-degree relatives, 81.7% had constipation and 40.7% had mild-to-moderate apnea. Prior to randomization, management of constipation and urotherapy led to remission in seven of the 82 patients; 75 patients were randomized to intervention. There were 14/75 (18.7%) dropouts during the intervention, especially in the alarm group (p = 0.00). Initial complete/partial response was achieved in 56.6% of the alarm group, 70% of the desmopressin group and 64% in the combined group (p = 0.26). Continued success occurred in 70% of the alarm group, 84.2% of the desmopressin group and 100% of the combined group (p = 0.21). Recurrence occurred in 3/20 (15%) patients in the alarm group and 1/19 (5.2 %) patients of the desmopressin group. Post-intervention Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and PedsQL 4.0 scores showed significant improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The three therapeutic modalities were effective in managing MNE with low relapse rates; the alarm group showed the highest dropout rate. Therapeutic success was associated with improvement of behavioral problems and quality of life scores.

The biofeedback treatment for non-monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna.

AIMS: Enuresis is a child older than 5 years wetting in discrete portions during sleep. It has two subgroups: monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna (MSEN) and non-monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna (NMSEN). In this research, we specifically aimed to examine the effect of biofeedback in NMSEN. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the hospital records of 182 children with NMSEN who were refractory to urotherapy modifications and directed to biofeedback therapies between 2005 and 2010. Enuresis before and after biofeedback therapies was evaluated. One or less enuretic night in a month was defined as success. RESULTS: There were 118 (64%) girls and 64 (35%) boys. With biofeedback therapy, 117 of 182 patients recovered with a success rate of 64% (P < 0.001), but 65 patients still had enuresis. Seventy-two out of 118 girls recovered with a success rate of 61% (P < 0.001), whereas 45 out of 64 boys recovered with a success rate of 70% (P = 0.001). The NMSEN complaints of daytime incontinence, dysuria, urgency, holding maneuvers, and urgency incontinence disappeared significantly concomitant to the enuresis component, as well (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biofeedback therapy is an effective treatment option for the enuresis component of NMSEN with a 64% success rate.

Evaluating the Social Anxiety Depression Levels and Accompanying Psychosocial Problems in Children Diagnosed with Enuresis.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to evaluate the accompanying psychosocial problems in enuresis as well as the social anxiety-depression levels in children diagnosed with enuresis. METHODS: This descriptive study investigating depression and social anxiety levels of children diagnosed with enuresis was carried out with 167 children who were followed up for at least six months following their enuresis diagnosis. All participating children had no other physical or mental illnesses and were aged five years or older. Data were collected using three measurement tools and evaluated using descriptive, correlational analyzes. RESULTS: In this study, 69.4% of the children diagnosed with enuresis were aged 7-12 years. 38.3% of their parents used "reward", while 37.1% preferred "punishment" as a method for toilet training their children. The children's depression and social anxiety mean scores were 21.48±7.29 and 54.58±8.84, respectively. A strong positive correlation was found between the children's mean depression and social anxiety scores (r=0.677, p<0.001). The median depression scores of children were found to be statistically significantly different according to the children's type of family, night sleep characteristics, type of enuresis, school success, and family life (p<0.05). Those with fragmented families (p=0.049), who did not sleep deeply at night (p=0.031), who slept for about 5-7 hours a day (p<0.01), and those whose school success was negatively affected by enuresis (p=0.021) and those who were exposed to negative family life (p=0.034) all obtained statistically significantly higher median depression scores. CONCLUSION: Children with enuresis had low depression and moderate social anxiety and their depression increased as their social anxiety increased. The children experienced psychosocial difficulties due to enuresis. When treating children with enuresis, it is necessary to consider both the affected child and their families through the adoption of a holistic approach, and also to evaluate the children both physically and psychosocially.

Influence of constipation on enuresis.

INTRODUCTION: Constipation has classically been considered as a risk factor of enuresis, although there are increasingly more publications that report a similar prevalence of constipation in both enuretics and non-enuretics. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of constipation in monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic enuresis, and to find out the prevalence of the three disorders, as well as the lower urinary tract dysfunction and bladder-bowel dysfunction in the population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional observational prevalence study on a representative population sample of 5-9 year-old school boys and girls of Galicia, Spain. A questionnaire was completed in the schools on urinary and bowel habits, which included questions from the Paediatric Lower Urinary Tract Scoring System (PLUTSS) diagnostic questionnaire and grading of the lower urinary tract dysfunctions. The enuresis was diagnosed using the International Children's Continence Society (ICSS), and if it was also associated with diurnal symptoms, it was also classified as non-monosymptomatic enuresis. The constipation was evaluated using the Rome III criteria and the adapted Bristol stool scale. RESULTS: A total of 772 questionnaires were included in the study. The prevalence of constipation was 20% and that of enuresis was 9.1% (62.9% monosymptomatic enuresis and 37.1% non-monosymptomatic), with the prevalence of bladder-bowel dysfunction being 5.2%. It was observed that constipation had no influence on the presence of monosymptomatic enuresis, but it did have an influence on non-monosymptomatic enuresis and lower urinary tract dysfunctions, where it was a significant risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: The differential diagnosis between monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic enuresis is essential in the initial evaluation of the patient with enuresis, since the therapeutic management and the characteristics of both disorders are different, with constipation only being a risk factor in cases of non-monosymptomatic enuresis.

New insights in treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis.

OBJECTIVE: Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is defined as uncontrollable bed-wetting for at least three consecutive months in children over 5 years. Sleep could be dramatically altered in children with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE); consequently, this helps to confirm the assumption that PNE appears to modify sleep structure, or it might be the result of an irregular sleep structure itself. METHOD: This study conducted on 180 patients with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. Their age was ranged from 6 to 18 years, and they were still having nocturnal enuresis episodes. We record two main points: first, if the child is a regular sleeper or not. The second point if the child is a regular bed wetter or not. This work fully compliant with the STROCCS criteria (Agha et al., 2019). RESULT: A total of 180 children were included (Male 122, 67.8%, Female 58, 32.2%). The mean age was 8.9 (±2.4). This study showed that children aged 7-10 years are significantly more inclined to be reported as specific time bed-wetter's, whereas those aged between 11 and 13 are significantly less likely to wet their bed at a specific time (p = 0.001). Children who tend to sleep more often near a specific time each night are 6.74 times more prone to bed-wet around a particular time during their sleep (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study can be considered as hypothesis-generating that shed light on the possible correlation between the adherence to sleep at a specific time and its effect on the time of enuresis and the number of bedwetting.

Voiding Disorders in Pediatrician's Practice.

Voiding disorders result usually from functional disturbance. However, relevant organic diseases must be excluded prior to diagnosis of functional disorders. Additional tests, such as urinalysis or abdominal ultrasound are required. Further diagnostics is necessary in the presence of alarm symptoms, such as secondary nocturnal enuresis, weak or intermittent urine flow, systemic symptoms, glucosuria, proteinuria, leukocyturia, erythrocyturia, skin lesions in the lumbar region, altered sensations in the perineum. Functional micturition disorders were thoroughly described in 2006, and revised in 2015 by ICCS (International Children's Continence Society) and are divided into storage symptoms (increased and decreased voiding frequency, incontinence, urgency, nocturia), voiding symptoms hesitancy, straining, weak stream, intermittency, dysuria), and symptoms that cannot be assigned to any of the above groups (voiding postponement, holding maneuvers, feeling of incomplete emptying, urinary retention, post micturition dribble, spraying of the urinary stream). Functional voiding disorders are frequently associated with constipation. Bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) is diagnosed when lower urinary tract symptoms are accompanied by problems with defecation. Monosymptomatic enuresis is the most common voiding disorder encountered by pediatricians. It is diagnosed in children older than 5 years without any other lower urinary tract symptoms. Other types of voiding disorders such as: non-monosymptomatic enuresis, overactive and underactive bladder, voiding postponement, bladder outlet obstruction, stress or giggle incontinence, urethrovaginal reflux usually require specialized diagnostics and therapy. Treatment of all types of functional voiding disorders is based on non-pharmacological recommendations (urotherapy), and such education should be implemented by primary care pediatricians.

Serum and urinary levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in enuresis. / Niveles séricos de factor neurotrófico derivado de cerebro en la enuresis.

OBJECTIVES: Enuresis is one of the most frequently seen psycho-social problems in childhood, which causes anxiety and stress in the child, thus affecting his/her self-respect and quality of life. The aim of the study was to determine the role of bladder function or psychologic factors or both as factors causing enuresis. METHODS: This study on pediatric patients with primary enuresis included 30 patients with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MonoNE), 30 patients with polysymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PolyNE), and 30 healthy controls, making a total of 90 subjects with an age range of 8-18. In all subjects, the levels of serum and urinary Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) were measured, in addition to urinary creatinine levels and calculated as BDNF/Cr ng/mg creatinine (BDNF/ Cr). RESULTS: The serum BDNF results of the PolyNE group (0.949±0.587) were significantly lower than those of the control group (1.158±0.587) (p=0.014). The urinary BDNF results of the PolyNE group (1.107±0.360) were significantly higher than those of both the MonoNE (0.657±0.272) and the control (0.670±0.271) groups (p<0.0001). The BDNF/Cr results of the PolyNE group (1.472±0.714) were significantly higher than those of the MonoNE group (0.956±1.017) and the control group (0.931±0.618) (p=0.044 and p=0.032, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to bladder-specific problems, it is possible for anxiety and psychological stress-induced problems to occur in PolyNE. Therefore, in addition to the increasing number of studies on the bladder in enuresis, further studies on the neurogenic and psychogenic aspects of enuresis should be carried out.

OBJETIVOS: La enuresis es uno de los problemas psicosociales más frecuentes en la infancia, que causa ansiedad y estrés a los niños, afectando a su autoestima y calidad de vida. El objetivo de este estudio es la determinación del papel de la función vesical, los factores psicológicos o ambos como factores causales de la enuresis.MÉTODOS: Este estudio en pacientes pediátricos con enuresis incluyó 30 pacientes con enuresis nocturna monosintomática (ENmono), 30 pacientes con enuresis nocturna polisintomática (ENpoli) y 30 controles sanos, sumando un total de 90 individuos con un rango de edad entre 8-18 años. En todos los casos se midieron los niveles séricos y urinarios de factor neurotrófico derivado del cerebro (FNDC), además de los niveles de creatinina urinaria y se hizo el cálculo de FNDC/Cr ng/mg creatinina. RESULTADOS: Los resultados de FNDC sérico en el grupo ENpoli (0,949±0,587) fueron significativamente menores que los del grupo control (1,158±0,587) (p=0,014). Los resultados de FNDC urinario en el grupo de ENpoli (1,107±0,360) fueron significativamente mayores que los de los grupos ENmono (0,657±0,272) y control (0,670±0,271) (p<0,0001). Los resultados de FNDC/Cr el grupo ENpoli (1,472±0,714) eran significativamente mayores que los de los grupos ENMono (0,956±1,017) y control (0,931±0,618) (p=0,044 y p=0,032, respectivamente). CONCLUSIONES: Además de problemas específicos vesicales, es posible que los problemas de ansiedad e inducidos por estrés psicológico ocurran en la ENPoli. Por lo tanto, además del creciente número de estudios sobre la vejiga en enuresis, es necesario desarrollar más estudios sobre los aspectos neurogénicos y psicogénicos de la enuresis.

The optimal duration of alarm therapy use in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) has a range of 1.6-5.3% in adolescents and 7.5-12.4% in children of 5-10 years. Alarm intervention has been well known for more than 30 years. This method is a reliable and safe means of treating primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, being effective in 60-80% of cases. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of alarm intervention prolongation after the cure in order to reduce the risk of disease recurrence. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred ninety-four boys and 161 girls (455 persons in total) of age 9-14 years (average 11.4 years) took part in the prospective randomized study. After preselection and establishing diagnosis, all patients were randomly divided in three groups. In group А (n = 139) alarm system treatment was carried out within 12 weeks, in group В (n = 136) 16 weeks, and in group С (n = 139) 20 weeks. RESULTS: The percentage of patients who no longer wet the bed (for 2 weeks or more) immediately after treatment in groups B (80.7%) and C (85.5%) was higher than in group A (67.4%) if the probability of error is pB/A < 0.05; pC/A < 0.05. There was no statistically significant difference in treatment success between groups B and C immediately after treatment. The percentage of patients who no longer wet the bed 3 months after the end of treatment in groups B (71.2%) and C (77.1%) was higher than in the group A (45.9%) if the probability of error is pB/A < 0.05; pC/A < 0.05. There was no statistically significant difference in treatment success between groups B and C 3 months after treatment. During the year this ratio did not change. DISCUSSION: These data suggest that the effective duration of alarm intervention is found in the range 16-20 weeks and involves an uninterrupted course of treatment. Perhaps this range of time is optimal for the formation of a neuroreflexive mechanism that creates a habit for independent awakening in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. CONCLUSION: The effective duration of alarm intervention is likely to be 16-20 weeks of an uninterrupted course of treatment. This time interval ensures the maximum effectiveness of treatment and the stability of long-term results.

The effectiveness of biofeedback therapy in children with monosymptomatic enuresis resistant to desmopressin treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of biofeedback therapy on children with desmopressin- resistant primary monosymptomatic enuresis (MsE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised both retrospective and prospective sections. A total of 262 medical files of patients who were diagnosed as enuresis between November 2012 and January 2015 were retrospectively screened. Patients with neuropathic bladder, daytime voiding problems, anatomical pathology and enuresis-related diseases were excluded from the study. The demographic data and family characteristics of 29 children with desmopressin- resistantprimary MsE were recorded. After biofeedback treatment patients whose frequency of enuretic episodes decrease by more than 50% were included in the successful biofeedback treatment group (SBTG), while other patients were categorized in the unsuccessful biofeedback treatment group (USGBT). The outcomes of uroflowmetry, voided volume, postvoiding residue (PVR) and total bladder volume/age-adjusted normal bladder capacity (TBV/NBC) were recorded before and at the sixth month of the treatment. RESULTS: The mean age of 29 patients included in the study was 9.14±3.07 (6-15) years. Of patients, 16 were male (55.2%) and 13 were female (44.8%). Before biofeedback treatment the frequency of enuresis was 25.1±5.76 days/month, while after treatment this was calculated as 8.52±10.07 days/month. After treatment 8 patients (28.6%) achieved complete dryness. Twenty patients (69%), benefited from biofeedback (SBTG), while there were 9 patients (31%) in the USBTG group. There was no significant difference between the SBTG and USBTG groups in terms of age, body mass index and sex. The average bladder capacity of the patients increased from 215 mL to 257 mL after biofeedback treatment (p<0.001). The TBV/NBC value before treatment was 0.66, while after treatment it was 0.77 (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the SBTG and USBTG groups in terms of presence of MsE in mother, and both parents (p=0.001, p=0.016, respectively). CONCLUSION: Biofeedback therapy is a safe, simple, and minimally invasive treatment modality in children with MsE resistant to desmopressin treatment. This treatment, which was found to increase total bladder capacity, may be recommended for children with MsE when conventional desmopressin treatment fails.

Prevalence and predictors of childhood enuresis in southwest Nigeria: Findings from a cross-sectional population study.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood enuresis is common, but the prevalence and factors associated with childhood enuresis in Africa have been poorly described. Furthermore, most studies from the continent have not provided data distinguishing monosymptomatic from non-monosymptomatic enuresis. This distinction is important as it guides enuresis therapy. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of enuresis in children aged 5-17 years in a community in Nigeria. The secondary objectives were to determine the relative proportions of monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic enuresis and identify independent sociodemographic and clinical predictors of enuresis. STUDY DESIGN: Parents or guardians in the community were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire. Standardized definitions were used, as recommended by the International Children's Continence Society. RESULTS: A total of 928 children were included in the study. The prevalence of enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis was 28.3% (enuresis 24.4%, and daytime incontinence and enuresis 4%); it decreased with age. Primary and monosymptomatic enuresis were the most common types of enuresis. In multiple logistic regressions, children aged 5-9 years were 10.41 (5.14-21.05) times more likely to have enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis compared with those aged 14-17 years. Other predictors of enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis were: male gender (OR 1.56 (1.13-2.14)); constipation (OR 2.56 (1.33-4.93)); and a sibling (OR 2.20 (1.58-3.06)) or parent (OR 3.14 (2.13-4.63)) with enuresis. Enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis was 1.92 (1.06-3.48) times more likely in fourth-born, or higher, children compared with first-born children. Only parents of nine (3.4%) children with enuresis had consulted a medical doctor about it. DISCUSSION: The high prevalence of childhood enuresis in the present study was consistent with most studies from developing countries and contrasted sharply with the lower rates reported among children in developed countries. Common reasons for this disparity were the influence of socioeconomic status on enuresis rates and the low utilization of effective enuresis therapies in developing countries. Consistent with published literature, monosymptomatic enuresis was the commonest form of enuresis in the present study. Furthermore, younger age, male gender and a family history of enuresis were strongly associated with enuresis. A major limitation of the study was the lack of use of a voiding diary. CONCLUSION: Childhood enuresis was common in the community but parents rarely sought medical attention. Predictors of enuresis were younger age, male gender, constipation, higher birth order, and a family history of enuresis.

Urinary calcium excretion in children with monosymptomatic enuresis.

BACKGROUND: Among many factors predisposing to monosymptomatic enuresis (MNE) disturbances in urinary electrolites excretion play an important role. Because of many controversies in this field there is a need to debate the role of hypercalciuria in MNE. The aim of our study was to determine the urinary calcium in children with MNE. METHODS: The investigation was conducted on 204 children (83 MNE children and 121 reference group). Urinary calcium excretion (in 24-h collection and per kg of body mass), Ca/creatinine ratio, Ca(2+) in urine sample and in 24-h collection of urine were estimated. RESULTS: Hypercalciuria in MNE group was diagnosed in 18/83 (21.69%) patients. We found statistically significant differences between children with MNE in Ca(2+) in urine sample and 24-h collection and Ca/creat. ratio. Median urinary calcium excretion (mg/kg/24-h and mmol/24-h) was significantly higher in hypercalciuric enuretic patients. The urinary total calcium (mmol/24-h), urinary bound calcium and urinary calcium concentration (mmol/L) demonstrated a significant positive correlation with height, weight and age in reference group but not in MNE group. CONCLUSION: Urinary calcium excretion was significantly disturbed and further studies are needed to assess the role of hypercalciuria in the pathogenesis of MNE.