Abstract General Information

Title

Nocturnal enuresis and daytime incontinence in children visiting hospitals for other conditions in Latin America.

Introduction and objective

Bedwetting and daytime urinary incontinence can have a great emotional impact on the quality of life of children and their family environment, even in those with other health conditions. The objective of the study is to present the prevalence of mono and non-monosymptomatic enuresis in the population of children with other conditions who visit high complexity hospitals.

Method

An anonymous questionnaire was used with the parents of children who attended 4 hospitals in a South American city in the metropolitan area for some non-urological condition. The questionnaire collected demographic data and 14 questions about mono and non-monosymptomatic primary and secondary enuresis through interviews carried out by employees of each health center with prior instructions.

Results

A total of 3952 parents of children with a mean age of 7.3 years were interviewed and it was found that the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis was 8.1% (n: 321) with a mean age of 7.7 years (5-18), with slight predominance in males (58%). Of these, 117 children (36%) wet the bed with a frequency of 3 or more times per week. The prevalence of daytime incontinence was 29.6%. The distribution of the subgroups was: monosymptomatic primary enuresis: 22.7%; non-monosymptomatic primary enuresis: 33.6%; monosymptomatic secondary enuresis: 24.2% and non-monosymptomatic secondary enuresis: 19.3%. Consultations to the pediatrician were 39.5%; emotionally affected enuretic children were 50%, affected families were 51% and only 16% were found in treatment. Family history was 45% with RR of 2.6. Constipation was 5.2%.

Conclusion

In this population of children that visits hospitals for non-urological conditions, it was found that the global prevalence of enuresis was less than 10%, monosymptomatic primary enuresis represented almost a quarter of enuretic children and that daytime urinary incontinence reached almost 30%. Half of the enuretic population and their parents expressed emotional affectation and pediatric consultations were reported in 40% with a low proportion of children under treatment by enuresis.