Long-term prospective evaluation of an inpatient voiding reeducation program for lower urinary tract conditions in children.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of our treatment program for children with lower urinary tract conditions, developed at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology of the University Children's Hospital in Ljubljana. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with lower urinary tract conditions were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A received treatment immediately, whereas patients of group B received no treatment for a period of 3 months-the amount of time it takes to complete our program. No child in group B experienced spontaneous regression of their symptoms in the 3-month delay period, while the patients of group A were already being treated and were achieving results. Thus, all the patients of group B then entered the program in exactly the same way as patients of group A. RESULTS: The final success rate in both groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.706-1.000) and ranged from 86.2 % for group A and 86.7 to 90 % for group B. Long-term follow-up showed statistically identical success rates (p = 1.000). CONCLUSION: This prospective controlled study with long-term follow-up (48 months) shows that our treatment program, applied as an inpatient voiding school program, is an effective method, with durable results.