Treating asthma in patients with enuresis: repercussions on urinary symptoms

BACKGROUND: Children presenting enuresis are more likely to be asthmatics. The association between enuresis and sleep-disordered breathing has already been demonstrated and several studies have shown at least partial improvement of two thirds or more of the cases of enuresis adenoidectomy. Studies have already described associations between enuresis and allergies but do not assess the repercussions of allergy treatment in enuretics. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluated whether asthma treatment alters the course of enuresis and whether there is any predictive factor associated with this improvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients (5 - 12 years old) with uncontrolled enuresis and asthma, received treatment for asthma. Children were also assessed for the presence of rhinitis and other allergies. The control of asthma was confirmed by a validated questionnaire and primary enuresis by clinical history and wet night diaries. Patients received only asthma treatment. RESULTS: At least partial improvement of enuresis was observed in 55% of the patients with an increase in 64.4% in the number of dry nights at the end of the study (p=0.01). The “presence of other allergies” and “obstruction seen in nasal endoscopy” positively influenced the improvement of urinary symptoms (OR = 3.350; CI 0.844–13.306) and (OR=1.272; CI 0.480-3.370), respectively. DISCUSSION: Until now, only patients presenting upper airway obstruction were known to benefit from the improvement of urinary symptoms when undergoing treatment for their respiratory problems. In our study, we found at least partial improvement in enuresis in 55% of our patients, with only clinical asthma treatment. CONCLUSION: Controlling asthma in children with primary enuresis resulted in a significant increase in dry nights.