Alarm treatment for childhood nocturnal enuresis: an investigation of within-treatment variables

Abstract

Objective: The enuresis alarm has been widely advocated as an effective intervention in the treatment of childhood nocturnal enuresis. Although there is a body of evidence concerning which pretreatment variables are related to outcome, there is little evidence relating to influential within-treatment variables. This study sought to examine a series of treatment variables against outcome.

Material and methods: A total of 66 children with severe primary nocturnal enuresis but with no day-time wetting were treated with a body-worn enuresis alarm. Pre- and within-treatment variables were collected. Success was considered to be 14 consecutive dry nights during a 16-week period.

Results: A total of 54.5% of children achieved the success criterion, with 12.1% being classed as partial successes. Of the pretreatment variables, only low functional bladder capacity was significantly associated with failure. Inability to be woken by the alarm emerged as the most important within-treatment predictor of failure.

Conclusions: The success of alarm treatment is dependent on the child's ability to be aroused by the alarm. Interestingly, of those who successfully became dry, 72.2% slept throughout the night for >80% of nights that they were dry, suggesting that the mode of action of the enuresis alarm is more complex than was previously thought.