Is second-line enuretic alarm therapy after unsuccessful pharmacotherapy superior to first-line therapy in the treatment of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis?

Introduction: We aimed at comparing the success rates of primary enuretic alarm therapy with those of secondary alarm therapy after failed pharmacotherapy in the treatment of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE). Patients and Methods: We randomly applied enuretic alarm therapy in 35 MNE patients (group 1) and desmopressin therapy in 49 MNE patients (group 2). The success and rebound rates after 3 and 6 months were determined. We also applied enuretic alarm therapy as a secondary treatment in 19 group 2 patients with complete rebound after 6 months (group 3). The success rates of patients who have received primary and secondary enuretic alarm therapy were compared. Results: The success rates for groups 1 and 2 were 82.65 and 81.63%, respectively (p = 0.885), at 3 months and 54.28 and 26.53%, respectively (p =0.007), at 6 months. The success rates in group 3 were 84.21 and 52.63%, respectively, at 3 and 6 months. When these success rates were compared between groups 1 and 3, no statistically significant difference was found (p = 1.000). Conclusion: Prior pharmacotherapy did not increase success rates of alarm therapy in our MNE patients. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel