Nocturnal Enuresis in the Adult

The goal of this paper is to describe the pathophysiology of adult nocturnal enuresis and develop a generalized approach for evaluation and treatment.

Although nocturnal enuresis (NE) impacts a significant proportion of the adult population, research on this topic remains lacking. In the few existing studies, the management strategy is extrapolated from research on pediatric nocturnal enuresis. Furthermore, treatment approaches highlight the importance of identifying risk factors and contributing pathologies. The modern urologist should understand the complexity of this problem and the variety of techniques to evaluate and treat the adult patient with NE. Adult nocturnal enuresis is multifactorial and may have multiple underlying pathologies. A comprehensive workup requires an understanding of the patient's history and symptomatology and the pathophysiologic processes that can occur. Treatment should first target identifiable etiologies, although a generalized algorithm can then be utilized with behavioral and lifestyle modifications, followed by medical therapy. Future studies will provide a better framework for treating this problem.