Letter to the Editor

Standardizing terminology in pediatric urology

Previous studies indicated that the prevalence of constipation in enuretic patients is higher than that in the general population. Several studies have revealed that successful treatment of constipation may be helpful in resolving enuresis. However, constipation affecting the efficacy of desmopressin in treating enuresis remains to be clarified.

This study aimed to determine whether the presence of constipation is associated with the efficacy of desmopressin in treating enuresis.

Patients diagnosed with nocturnal enuresis (NE) were studied prospectively. Treatment responses in different stratified groups of patients with NE were compared by Chi-squared tests or Wilcoxon rank sum test. A logistic regression model was performed to investigate the relationship between the possible factors and the effectiveness of desmopressin.

In children with severe enuresis, patients with constipation had significantly lower complete response rate compared with patients without constipation. The presence of constipation was always related to the effectiveness of desmopressin whether in monosymptomatic NE or non-monosymptomatic patients with NE. With stratification for dose of desmopressin, non-constipated patients who received 0.2 mg of desmopressin had significantly higher complete response rate than patients with constipation. However, in subgroups of mild to moderate NE and 0.4 mg desmopressin, constipation was not associated with treatment response of enuresis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that constipation was significantly related to the effectiveness of desmopressin.

This study confirmed the negative effects of constipation in response to desmopressin in patients with NE. To the best of authors knowledge, this work is the first study to evaluate the relationship of constipation in enuretic patients and the efficacy of desmopressin.

The presence of constipation negatively affects the response to desmopressin in patients with NE, especially in patients with severe enuresis and in patients prescribed with low dose of desmopressin.

To determine the prevalence of enuresis, urinary, and bowel symptoms and associated factors in children aged 7 years in a birth cohort.

A pre-coded questionnaire was applied to 3,602 children who belonged to a birth cohort initiated in 2004 in Pelotas, Brazil. During home visits at 12, 24, and 48 months and at age 7 years, mothers answered a questionnaire with demographic questions and characteristics of bladder and bowel habits of children using a urinary symptom score. Poisson regression was used for the hierarchical multivariable analysis, with robust variance.

The prevalence of enuresis was 10.6%;11.7% in males and 9.3% in females; enuresis was monosymptomatic in 9.8% of the children (10.8% of males and 8.3% of females); 37.4% had symptoms up to once a week; 32.9%, two to four times a week; and 26.2%, every day, with no difference between genders. The most common urinary symptoms were urinary urgency (22.7%) and urinary retention maneuvers (38.2%). In the multivariate analysis, it was observed that the number of urinary symptoms and the number of children at home showed a direct association with the presence of enuresis, whereas maternal education was inversely associated.

Enuresis is a prevalent condition and should be investigated in clinical practice, especially in children of lower socioeconomic status. A detailed history of urinary habits detects associated urinary symptoms, which is important for adequate classification of enuresis and subsequent management.

Determinar a prevalência de enurese, sintomas urinários e intestinais e fatores associados em crianças de sete anos, em uma coorte de nascimentos.

Foi aplicado um questionário pré-codificado em 3.602 crianças pertencentes à coorte de nascimentos iniciada em 2004, em Pelotas, RS. Em visitas domiciliares realizadas aos 12, 24 e 48 meses e aos sete anos, as mães responderam um questionário com questões sociodemográficas e sobre as características e hábitos miccionais e intestinais das crianças, utilizando um escore de sintomas miccionais. Para a análise multivariável hierarquizada, utilizou-se regressão de Poisson com variância robusta.

A prevalência de enurese de foi 10,6%, sendo 11,7% nos meninos e 9,3% nas meninas; a enurese foi monossintomática em 9,8% das crianças (10,8% dos meninos e 8,3% das meninas); 37,4% apresentavam o sintoma até uma vez por semana; 32,9%, duas a quetro vezes por semana; e 26,2% todos os dias, sem diferença entre os sexos. Os sintomas urinários mais frequentes foram urgência miccional (22,7%) e manobras de contenção urinária (38,2%). Na análise multivariável, observou-se que o número de sintomas miccionais e o número de crianças em casa mostraram relação direta com presença de enurese, enquanto que a escolaridade materna apresentou relação inversa.

A enurese é uma patologia prevalente e deve ser investigada em consultas de rotina, especialmente em crianças com menor nível socioeconômico. Uma história detalhada sobre hábitos urinários pode detectar sintomas miccionais associados, importantes para uma adequada classificação da enurese e posterior manejo.

To explore the everyday dilemmas of parents living with a child with nocturnal enuresis and to describe their support needs in relation to healthcare professionals.

The study was conducted in 2011 in Uppsala County, Sweden. Parents of 13 children with enuresis, 10 mothers and three fathers, participated in qualitative semi-structured in-depth interviews, which were analysed using systematic text condensation.

The analysis of the material resulted in six themes: enuresis is socially stigmatising and handicapping; all practices and home remedies are tested; it creates frustration in the family; protecting the child from gossip or teasing; support from healthcare providers would have helped; it's something we just have to live with. Two patterns of coping were identified: the Unworried wet-bed-fixers and the Anxious night-launderers.

Having a child with enuresis can be stressful for parents, although they tried hard not to blame their child. Because parents can feel reluctant to bring up enuresis themselves, they want child health nurses to routinely raise the issue of bedwetting at the yearly check-up. Parents' information needs included causes of and available treatment options for enuresis as well as access to aids and other support for affected families.

To investigate why not all children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) treated with desmopressin give an adequate response.

We included 114 children with MNE aged 5–15 years (9.8 ± 0.2 years) who experienced at least 1 wet night and more than 2 dry nights during desmopressin treatment. The patients made home recordings for 2 weeks as baseline and for 2–4 weeks of desmopressin titration. Nocturnal urine production during wet and dry nights, and maximum voided volumes (MVVs) were documented in all patients.

Sixty-four patients were desmopressin non-responders, 29 were either partial responders or responders, while 21 patients were full responders. Desmopressin reduced nocturnal urine production dramatically during dry nights compared with pre-treatment wet nights. Nocturnal urine production during desmopressin treatment was significantly greater during wet nights compared to dry nights (243 ± 9.32 vs 176 ± 5.31 ml, P < 0.001). There was a highly significant correlation between individual nocturnal urine output and MVV, and dry nights were characterized by nocturnal urine output/MVV ratios well below 1.0.

The anti-enuretic response to desmopressin seems to be dependent upon the degree of reduction in nocturnal urine production. Research on desmopressin bioavailability in children is needed.

We evaluated bladder reservoir function in children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis with and without response to desmopressin, and assessed the importance of first morning voiding when defining maximum voided volume.

A total of 238 patients 5 to 15 years old with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis completed 2 weeks of enuresis recordings and 4 days of frequency-volume charts. Of the patients 186 completed subsequent home recordings during titration with desmopressin. Maximum voided volumes with and without the first morning void were calculated. Desmopressin response was defined as greater than 50% reduction in wet nights. Maximum voided volume with and without first morning voiding was evaluated as a prognostic factor for desmopressin response.

Mean ± SD maximum voided volume without first morning void was comparable between desmopressin responders and nonresponders (230.5 ± 69.3 ml and 219.0 ± 84.8 ml, respectively, p = 0.391). Inclusion of the first morning void demonstrated responders to have significantly larger values than nonresponders (mean ± SD 296.0 ± 94.0 ml vs 233.5 ± 90.0 ml, p <0.001). When first morning void was included, desmopressin response was seen in 40% of patients with voided volumes of 65% expected volume for age vs 10% of patients with volumes less than 65% expected volume for age.

Maximum voided volume can be used as a predictor of desmopressin response only if first morning voids are taken into consideration. All patients with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis should receive clear instructions to include this measure when completing frequency-volume charts.