Refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis: a combined stepwise approach in childhood and follow‐up into adolescence, with attention to the clinical value of normalizing bladder capacity

Abstract

To assess the importance of normalizing bladder capacity to the age-expected capacity in children with refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE), and to evaluate the long-term results when these children grow into adolescence. The study included 34 children with refractory MNE; all were treated > 5 years earlier for their MNE using a combined stepwise approach, consisting of retention control training, oxybutynin and an enuresis alarm. Data were obtained on their enuretic state, night-time voiding behaviour and bladder capacity, from a questionnaire and a voiding chart. Before starting treatment, all patients had a bladder capacity that was too small for their age. After the combined stepwise approach, MNE improved in all patients and 24 (71%) were cured. Although the bladder capacity was increased to the age-expected capacity in 26 (76%), most woke at night to void. Currently, at a mean of 7.7 years after the primary treatment, 28 (82%) of the patients are completely dry at night, of whom 15 (54%) arouse to void for 35% of the nights. Six patients (18%) still have some enuretic episodes. Only those who were dry after primary treatment and remained dry had a normal age-expected increase in bladder capacity. For all others there was a decrease in age-related bladder capacity. In patients with refractory MNE, a combined stepwise approach improves and may even eliminate enuresis, but normal night-time bladder behaviour in adolescence and adulthood is only achieved in some. Furthermore, about a fifth still have some enuretic episodes.