Better outcomes with desmopressin melt than enuretic alarm therapy in children with nocturnal enuresis during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the treatment of children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) with desmopressin melt versus an enuresis alarm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 56 children with primary MNE who were taking desmopressin melt or using an alarm. Their anxiety levels were evaluated using the Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised. For both treatment methods, data from a 3-month bedwetting diary between the third and sixth months of the pre-pandemic treatment were compared with those assessed during the same period during the pandemic. RESULTS: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the median 3-month mean frequency of MNE was 1 (0–7.67) in children using desmopressin melt versus 1.33 (0–6) in those using alarm treatment (p = 0.095). During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the median monthly mean frequency of MNE was 1.33 (0–7.33) in children using desmopressin melt versus 6 (1.33–13) in those using alarm treatment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying psychological effects did not affect the treatment efficacy of desmopressin melt in children with primary MNE but did adversely affect that of enuresis alarms.