Sex distribution of adult idiopathic detrusor instability in relation to childhood bedwetting

Abstract

The urodynamic case records of 1000 consecutive men and women were reviewed to study the link between idiopathic detrusor instability (DI) and childhood nocturnal enuresis and to determine whether a sex difference in this relationship may exist. Idiopathic DI was found in 10% of the men, 63% of whom had suffered from childhood bedwetting; 29% of the women had idiopathic instability, of whom 38% had been nocturnal enuretics. Thus the link between adult idiopathic DI and childhood bedwetting appeared to be stronger for men than for women. The sex distribution of subjects is not always reported in urodynamic studies of bedwetters and adults with an unstable bladder. We suggest that this should become routine practice as it may help to shed light on the aetiology of idiopathic detrusor instability.