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Behavioral therapy for primary nocturnal enuresis

Marco Pennesi1, Maurizio Pitter, Andrea Bordugo

  • 1Pediatric Department, IRCCS Burlo Garafolo, University of Trieste, Italy. pennesi@burlo.trieste.it

The Journal of Urology
|December 11, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Behavioral therapy is effective for childhood enuresis, even with daytime voiding issues. This treatment shows results comparable to other methods, emphasizing the importance of patient compliance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Urology
  • Behavioral Medicine

Background:

  • Primary enuresis affects many children, often with associated daytime voiding problems.
  • Behavioral therapy is an emerging treatment option for enuresis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical outcomes of behavioral therapy for primary enuresis in children.
  • To assess the efficacy of behavioral interventions in managing enuresis and daytime voiding symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 250 children (159 boys, 91 girls) aged 5-17 with primary enuresis were treated.
  • Treatment involved bladder training, voiding diaries, and education on bladder distention recognition.
  • Follow-up included detailed voiding history and assessment of treatment response.

Main Results:

  • 90% of children exhibited bladder maturation delay symptoms; 13% had behavioral constipation.
  • 74% completed the behavioral therapy, with 60% achieving a positive response and 11% a partial response.
  • Treatment failure occurred in 29% of cases.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral therapy demonstrates efficacy in treating primary enuresis, comparable to desmopressin or alarm therapy.
  • Daytime voiding symptoms are common in enuretic children and should be addressed.
  • Successful treatment hinges on child compliance with the therapeutic plan; age is not a significant factor.
Abstract

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