title: Sleep fragmentation and increased periodic limb movements are more common in children with nocturnal enuresis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine sleep fragmentation in children with nocturnal enuresis (NE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatricians assessed NE parameters in children referred to an enuresis clinic. Control subjects, matched by age and gender and without incontinence or (un)treated NE, were recruited from the paediatric sleep clinic regardless of their sleep problem. Sleep was investigated by one overnight video-polysomnography in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group comprised 67 children with proven NE (50 boys and 17 girls between six and 16 years: 11.1 ± 2.8 SD). They were matched with 67 control subjects (47 boys and 20 girls aged between six and 16 years: 11.0 ± 2.9 SD). Children with NE had a higher incidence of periodic limb movements associated with cortical arousals in their sleep. They displayed significant higher periodic limb movement index, arousal index and awakening index than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with NE displayed higher sleep fragmentation and periodic limb movements in sleep than the control children with a possible sleep disorder without NE. The findings emphasise the central involvement of the pathophysiology of NE and the multifactorial nature of the condition.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Department of Child Neurology & Metabolism. Pediatric Sleep Center, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dhondt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Herzeele
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raes
authors.forename: L-A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Groen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoebeke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vande Walle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001143:Arousal; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005121:Extremities / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D053206:Nocturnal Enuresis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Bladder; Desmopressin; Nocturnal enuresis; Periodic limb movements in sleep; Restless legs syndrome