All issues > Volume 42(1); 1999

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1999;42(1):94-101. Published online January 15, 1999.

Clinical Study in Nocturnal Enuretic Children

Dae Chull DC Jung¹, Won Jung WJ Kim¹, Byeung Hee BH Son¹, Seung Won SW Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, St. Benedict Hospital, Pusan, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Nocturnal Enuresis, an involuntary discharge of urine after bladder control, is frequent in children. It brings patients and family many psychogenic problems. So we investigated its clinical characteristics and drug effects.
Methods
: The study subjects enrolled were 36 children with nocturnal enuresis. We evaluated family history, accompanying urinary symptoms and clinical characteristics through questionnaries. We evaluated the effect of imipramine and desmopressin in 26 children among the 36 cases.
Results
: The ratio of boys to girls was 1.6 to 1. The age range in 15 cases(41.7%) was 4-5 years, in 14 cases(38.9%) 6-7 years, in 4 cases(11.1%) 8-9 years, and in 3 cases(9.3%) it was above 10 years. Twenty four(67%) were primary enuresis and 12(33%) were secondary enuresis. In eighteen cases(50%), these was a family history of enuresis. Seven of these cases had a parental enuresis history. The accompanying urinary symptoms were urgency(47.2%), frequency (38.9%), and dysuria(13.9%). The responses to imipramine were as follows : an excellent response in 2 cases(20%), a good response in 4(40%), a transient response in 2(20%), and no response in 2(20%). The responses to desmopressin were as follows : an excellent response in 7(43.8%), a good response in 4(25%), a transient response in 3(18.7%), and no response in 2(12.5%).
Conclusion
: Enuresis is more frequent in boys and primary type. Half of 36 enuresis children had a family history of enuresis. We recommend continuous drug medication to control nocturnal enuresis along with encouragement.

Keywords :Nocturnal enuresis, Imipramine, Desmopressin acetate