Respiration during sleep in children with therapy-resistant enuresis.
OBJECTIVE
Although there is a known association between enuresis and snoring or sleep apnoeas, respiration during sleep has not been thoroughly studied in enuretic children. This study was performed with the aim of filling this gap in our knowledge.


METHODS
Thirty-four children with therapy-resistant enuresis, but no history of heavy snoring or sleep apnoeas, underwent sleep registrations, including standard electroencephalography (EEG) and electrooculography (EOG) as well as registration of oxygen saturation, respiratory effort and nasal air flow. To assess nasal airway patency, rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry were performed before and after nasal decongestion.


RESULTS
The children were found to have a higher than expected apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI), due to a high frequency of hypopnoeas. They were also noted to have a tendency for respiratory arousals. Standard polysomnographic variables were normal.


CONCLUSIONS
We provide baseline data of nocturnal respiration in enuretic children. The children were found to have subclinical signs of disordered respiration. This may be one of the explanations for their high arousal thresholds.
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Tryggve
T
Nevéus
Lena
L
Leissner
Stig
S
Rudblad
Farhan
F
Bazargani
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053206:Nocturnal Enuresis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012119:Respiration; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic; D012890:Sleep; D017211:Treatment Failure
Enuresis; polysomnography; sleep apnoeas