Der Urologe. Ausg. A | 2021
[Health-related quality of life of children and adolescents with primary nocturnal enuresis who are undergoing therapy].
Abstract
BACKGROUND\nPrimary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) affects a\xa0relevant proportion of children (10-15% at school entrance). While a\xa0significant impact on psychological well-being and self-esteem of children has been reported, the consequences for Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) have been less addressed. The aim of this investigation is the analysis of HRQoL of PNE under therapy with an established questionnaire.\n\n\nMETHODS\nThe KINDL‑R questionnaire for HRQoL with 24\xa0items in 6\xa0dimensions was sent to all patients of the enuresis outpatient clinic (ages 7-17\xa0years, minimum 3\xa0months of therapy, no achieved dryness). Actual number of wet nights and eventual comorbidities were extracted from the clinical data.\n\n\nRESULTS\nOf 57 questionnaires sent by mail, 47 were returned from patients and parents (82.5%). The patient results did not show a\xa0correlation between HRQoL and age, but there was a\xa0negative correlation of physical well-being and increasing age (r\u202f=\u2009-0.259, p\u202f<\u20090.05). A\xa0marked negative correlation was seen between bed-wetting frequency and HRQoL (r\u202f=\u2009-0.372, p\u202f<\u20090.05), especially in the dimensions self-worthiness (r\u202f=\u2009-0.399, p\u202f<\u20090.005) and chronic-generic (r\u202f=\u2009-0.383, p\u202f<\u20090.05).\n\n\nDISCUSSION\nDuring enuresis treatment without achieved dryness, the patients did not show systematic limitation in HRQoL compared to reference populations. This is in contrast to limitations in HRQoL and self-esteem before therapy, but may possibly be explained by the correlation of this dimension with bed-wetting frequency in this study and the reported improvement through treatment in other studies. Both factors support the need and importance of adequate PNE therapy.