Assessment of lower urinary tract function in children with Down syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Despite the fact that functional lower urinary tract symptoms are common among people with Down syndrome (DS), their voiding function has not been studied precisely. Our goal was to assess the lower urinary tract functions in DS.


METHODS
Fifty-five DS children aged 5-15 years old and 35 age-matched control children were evaluated by ultrasonography and uroflowmetry.


RESULTS
Eleven (20%) DS children had no uresiesthesia, 21 (38%) were urinated under guidance, nine (16%) urinated fewer than three times a day, two (4%) urinated more than 10 times a day, three (5%) used diapers, and 26 (47%) had urinary incontinence. Seven (13%), 15 (27%), and 10 (18%) DS children had weak, prolonged and intermittent urination, respectively, and seven (13%) had urination with straining. In contrast, none of the control subjects had urinary problems. In the uroflowmetrical analysis, 10 (18%), 20 (37%), 11 (20%) and five (9%) DS children showed "bell-shaped," "plateau," "staccato" and "interrupted" patterns, respectively; the remaining nine (16%) could not be analyzed. In contrast, 21 (60%), one (3%), four (11%), three (9%) and two (6%) control subjects showed bell-shaped, tower-shaped, plateau, staccato and interrupted patterns, respectively; the remaining four (11%) could not be analyzed. Residual urine was demonstrated in four (7%) DS children and one (3%) control child.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower urinary tract symptoms and abnormal uroflowmetry findings, which can lead to further progressive renal and urinary disorders, are common in DS children. Therefore, lower urinary tract functions should be assessed at the life-long regular medical check-ups for subjects with DS.
Department of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.|Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Atsuko
A
Kitamura
Department of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.|Misakaenosono Mutsumi Institute for Persons with Severe Intellectual/Motor Disabilities, Isahaya, Japan.
Tatsuro
T
Kondoh
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Mitsuru
M
Noguchi
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Teppei
T
Hatada
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Shohei
S
Tohbu
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Ken-Ichi
KI
Mori
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Manabu
M
Matsuo
Department of Public Health, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Japan.
Ichiro
I
Kunitsugu
Department of Urology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Kanetake
Department of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.|Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Moriuchi
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D012212:Rheology; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D014563:Urodynamics
Down syndrome; lower urinary tract symptoms; uroflowmetry