Objective: To assess the importance of normalizing bladder capacity to the age-expected capacity in children with refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE), and to evaluate the long-term results when these children grow into adolescence.
Patients and methods: The study included 34 children with refractory MNE; all were treated > 5 years earlier for their MNE using a combined stepwise approach, consisting of retention control training, oxybutynin and an enuresis alarm. Data were obtained on their enuretic state, night-time voiding behaviour and bladder capacity, from a questionnaire and a voiding chart.
Results: Before starting treatment, all patients had a bladder capacity that was too small for their age. After the combined stepwise approach, MNE improved in all patients and 24 (71%) were cured. Although the bladder capacity was increased to the age-expected capacity in 26 (76%), most woke at night to void. Currently, at a mean of 7.7 years after the primary treatment, 28 (82%) of the patients are completely dry at night, of whom 15 (54%) arouse to void for 35% of the nights. Six patients (18%) still have some enuretic episodes. Only those who were dry after primary treatment and remained dry had a normal age-expected increase in bladder capacity. For all others there was a decrease in age-related bladder capacity.
Conclusions: In patients with refractory MNE, a combined stepwise approach improves and may even eliminate enuresis, but normal night-time bladder behaviour in adolescence and adulthood is only achieved in some. Furthermore, about a fifth still have some enuretic episodes.