Does biofeedback therapy improve quality of life in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction: parents' perspective

Abstract

Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is a situation that often disrupts the quality of life (QoL) of both the child and the family with daytime and nighttime incontinence. Although the first-line treatment option for children with LUTD is standard urotherapy, biofeedback therapy can be performed in children in which standard urotherapy failed. We studied the biofeedback success in children with LUTD according to parents' expressions. We retrospectively analyzed our hospital records of children who were diagnosed with LUTD between 2005 and 2017. In total, 281 patients, refractory to standard urotherapy were included into the study and directed to biofeedback treatment. Their parents completed the dysfunctional voiding symptom scores (DVSS) before and after biofeedback therapy. At the end of the six-month follow-up period, all voiding disorders and voiding patterns were evaluated. According to DVSS, QoL tools before biofeedback treatment 48 (17%) parents appraised that LUTD caused no effect in their children's daily life, 104 (37.8%) expressed little effect, 89 (31%) moderate effect, and 40 (14.2%) serious effect. And, 120 (43%) parents expressed no effect, 95 (34%) little effect, 51 (18%) moderate effect, and 15 (5%) serious effect (P=0.001) after biofeedback therapy. Biofeedback therapy affected positively the daily life of LUTD's family. The less serious the effect of LUTD on these children's family, the more success rate of biofeedback therapy. The effect of biofeedback therapy was less successful in moderated and serious affected families. Biofeedback treatment is a non-invasive and effective treatment modality for improving the QoL for LUTDfamilies who were less suffered from LUTD.