Prevalence of diurnal voiding symptoms and difficult arousal from sleep in children with nocturnal enuresis.

PURPOSE

We analyzed the relative contribution of detrusor instability and difficult arousal from sleep in the genesis of nocturnal enuresis (NE), and evaluate a clinical feature that may prospectively help differentiate patients with monosymptomatic NE (mono NE) from those with diurnal voiding symptoms (DVSs) of urgency and urge incontinence associated with NE (NE + DVSs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients referred for voiding problems and 627 controls were evaluated for NE, DVSs, nocturia and arousal from sleep on a scale of 1 to 8. Patients were categorized into 3 groups-mono NE of primary or secondary onset (200, boys 71%, girls 29%), primary or secondary NE + DVSs (329, boys 43%, girls 57%) and isolated DVSs (146, boys 21%, girls 79%).

RESULTS

DVSs were noted in 49% of boys and 76% of girls with NE, although 40% of patients or parents did not complain of DVSs. The DVSs were elicited on detailed interrogation or on finding evidence of urinary incontinence on perineal examination. While one-third of controls and patients with isolated DVSs manifested nocturia at least twice a month, only 6% of bedwetters did so. Difficult arousal from sleep (scores 6 to 8) was more prevalent in patients with NE (59%) than controls (20%) or patients with isolated DVSs (5%), and in patients with mono NE and primary NE than in NE + DVSs or secondary NE, with reverse prevalence for nocturia. Easy sleep arousal (scores 1 to 3) was noted in 65% of patients with secondary NE + DVSs vs up to 6% of other NE subgroups. Compared to patients with mono NE, those with NE + DVSs had a higher prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI), encopresis, psychosocial/learning problems, and family history of UTI and DVSs, ie problems associated with detrusor instability.

CONCLUSIONS

DVSs accompany NE in two-thirds of patients but can be missed during a cursory history. Difficult sleep arousal seems to have a major role in primary mono NE, and detrusor instability in secondary NE + DVSs. In patients with NE a history of frequent nocturia, easy sleep arousal, UTI, encopresis, psychosocial learning problems or family history of UTI and DVSs should raise the suspicion for associated undisclosed DVSs.