Objectives: To determine the utility of serum copeptin and urinary aquaporin-2 (AQP2) levels in diagnosing primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) in children.
Methods: This study comprised 58 children (30 males and 28 females), aged 9.7 (±2.9) years with PMNE enuresis. Another 29 children (16 males and 13 females) aged 10.2 (±3.3) without nocturnal enuresis (NE) were recruited as a control group. History taking, clinical examination, and assessment of serum copeptin (blood) and AQP-2 levels (urine) were performed in all participants.
Results: Serum levels of copeptin, potassium and urinary AQP-2, and urine creatinine levels were lower in the PMNE group compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for all). No significant differences in body mass index, urine specific gravity, serum sodium, serum creatinine, or estimated glomerular filtration rate were observed between groups. This study evaluated both serum copeptin and AQP-2 levels in healthy and enuretic children.
Conclusions: In this study, serum levels of copeptin (blood) and AQP2 (urine) were significantly lower in enuretic patients compared to healthy controls. Further, the measurement of urinary AQP-2 levels is more practical than serum copeptin levels due to lower invasiveness.
Keywords: aquaporin-2; copeptin; monosymptomatic; nocturnal enuresis; pediatrics.
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