[Effectiveness of behavioral intervention in nocturnal enuresis]

Nocturnal enuresis is a common, often misunderstood condition that affects millions of children. Although the rate of spontaneous resolution is 15 % per year, treatment is often required for social or psychological reasons.

To determine the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in a primary health care area, how was it diagnosed, which treatments were employed and treatment response.

A retrospective study was performed that included all the medical records of children aged between 6 and 14 years old in a basic health area.

Twenty-seven children with a diagnosis of nocturnal enuresis were identified (4.3 %). Among these, 21 were boys (77.7 %) and six were girls (22.3 %). There was a family history of nocturnal enuresis in 15 patients (55.5 %). Nocturnal enuresis was not the reason for consultation in 24 of the 27 patients (88.8 %) but was diagnosed collaterally by anamnesis. All the children had simple primary nocturnal (monosymptomatic) enuresis. Five patients abandoned the treatment (18 %), 15 (55.5 %) recovered with behavioral intervention exclusively, the remaining seven children were treated with desmopressin, which was successful in three of them. The remaining four patients were still receiving treatment when the data were collected.

The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in this primary health area (4.3 %) is similar that reported in other series. In a high percentage (88.8 %) of patients, nocturnal enuresis was not the reason for consultation but was diagnosed during anamnesis. Behavioral intervention was effective in more than half (55.5 %) of the patients.