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Prevalence of Nocturnal Enuresis among Saudi Children Population
Elham H Alhifthy1, Lura Habib2, Azahir Abu Al-Makarem3
1Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU.
Insights
Nocturnal enuresis affects 31.2% of Saudi children, with a higher prevalence in younger age groups and a strong link to family history. Behavioral modification is the most common treatment, though less than half of cases see improvement.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Urology
- Public Health
Background:
- Nocturnal enuresis (NE) affects 1.4%-28% of children globally, impacting bladder control during sleep.
- Understanding NE prevalence and risk factors in Saudi Arabia is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of enuresis among children aged 3-12 in Saudi Arabia.
- To identify risk factors associated with enuresis in this population.
- To document the types of treatments provided and their effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 3-12 year old Saudi children.
- Data was collected via an online questionnaire from October 20 to November 20, 2019.
- The questionnaire addressed enuresis prevalence, risk factors, and treatment modalities.
Main Results:
- 31.2% of Saudi children in the study experienced enuresis, with 43.9% having nocturnal-only episodes.
- Prevalence decreased with age, peaking at 63.6% in 5-7 year olds; no significant gender correlation was found.
- Behavioral modification (31.6%) and pharmacological intervention (29.6%) were the most common treatments, with overall improvement in 43.6% of cases. A family history of NE was a significant risk factor (p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Nocturnal enuresis is prevalent in 31.2% of Saudi children, significantly correlated with age and family history.
- Behavioral and pharmacological treatments are common, but less than half of treated children experience improvement.
- Further research into effective, age-appropriate interventions for NE in Saudi Arabia is warranted.
Abstract:
Background Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is the involuntary urination that occurs while asleep after an age when bladder control at night is expected. It has a global incidence of 1.4%-28% among 6-12 years old children. The aim of this study is to show the prevalence, risk factors, types of provided treatment of enuresis among studied children in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among Saudi children, 3-12 years of age, from different cities in Saudi Arabia, during the period from 20 October to 20 November 2019. Data was collected by using a pre-designed questionnaire that was distributed online and included questions designed to fulfill the study objectives. Results This study reported that 31.2% of Saudi children of the chosen ages are suffered from enuresis, the majority occurred at day and night by 55.1% while 43.9% occurred only at night. Participants described types of provided treatment as follows: behavioral modification was the most commonly used by 31.6% followed by pharmacological intervention (29.6%), bed-wetting alarm (6.8%), exercises to strengthen the bladder muscles (6.2%) and surgical intervention reported by 1.5% only. It was found that the improvement of enuresis on treatment occurred in 43.6% of cases. There was a significant reduction of the prevalence of NE with age (peak is 63.6% in 5-7 years old) but no significant correlation was found with gender (p = 0.104). However, there was a significant correlation with parent having history of NE (p = 0.001). Conclusion The study reported that 31.2% of children found to have nocturnal enuresis; 43.9% of those had nocturnal enuresis alone. There were no significant correlations between nocturnal enuresis and child gender while it significantly correlated with child's age and having a family history of NE. Behavioral modification therapy was the most commonly provided treatment followed by pharmacological intervention; improvement occurred in less than half of the cases with treatment.
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