Family and segregation studies: 411 Chinese children with primary nocturnal enuresis.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present paper was to determine the incidence of primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) among relatives of Chinese children with PNE, the inheritance pattern, and to identify the characteristics of PNE with positive family history.


METHODS
From July 2003 to June 2004, an epidemiological survey on PNE children was carried out by self-administered questionnaires to parents of 5-18-year-old Chinese students in Henan Province, central China. A detailed family history was recorded in order to determine the presence of familial PNE as defined as any close relative with PNE beyond the age of 5 years.


RESULTS
The response rate was 88% (10 383/11 799), and 411 children (235 boys and 176 girls) with PNE were identified. A positive family history was found in 94 families (22.87%) of 411 probands with PNE, including 48.94% of fathers, 8.51% of mothers, 6.38% of both parents, 6.38% of the siblings and 29.79% of grandfathers or (and) mothers. Among the probands the ratio of male to female was 1.3:1 excluding sex-linked inheritance. Autosomal dominant inheritance was in 14.60%, and autosomal recessive inheritance was consistent in 1.46% of families. In PNE children with positive family history, the proportion of adolescents, with associated daytime symptoms, marked PNE and seeking professional help were significantly higher than those in PNE children without positive family history.


CONCLUSIONS
PNE has a significant family clustering, and all modes of inheritance can occur in different families on the basis of a formal genetic analysis. Those with positive family history often manifest marked PNE, and have daytime symptoms.
Wang
Qing Wei
QW
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Urodynamic Centre of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Zhengzhou, China.
Wen
Jian Guo
JG
Zhang
Rui Li
RL
Yang
He Ying
HY
Su
Jing
J
Liu
Kui
K
Zhu
Qing Hua
QH
Zhang
Peng
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D040181:Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053206:Nocturnal Enuresis / Q000235:genetics*