title: Can Urinary Nerve Growth Factor and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor be used in the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Voiding Dysfunction in Children?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the utility of urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels as non-invasive markers for diagnosis and evaluation of treatment efficacy in children with overactive bladder (OAB).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 24 children with OAB and 30 healthy controls. At the time of diagnosis, micturition disorder symptom scores (MDSS) were determined, blood and urine samples were collected, and anticholinergic therapy was initiated. Clinical responses were evaluated, at the third and sixth month of treatment, by MDSS and urinary NGF, BDNF, and creatinine levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient group had significantly higher urine NGF/Cr ratio (975 &plusmn; 827 and 159 &plusmn; 84, respectively, P &lt; .001) and BDNF/Cr ratio (5.98 &plusmn; 5.78 and 0.81 &plusmn; 0.70, respectively, P &lt; .001) before treatment. Significantly decreased BDNF/Cr ratio was found at the sixth month (5.98 &plusmn; 5.78 and 2.24 &plusmn; 0.98, respectively, P = .004). NGF/Cr &gt; 360 was found to have 87.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity, and BDNF/Cr &gt; 1.288 was found to have 87.5% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity for OAB diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, urine NGF/Cr and BDNF/Cr ratios may be useful markers for diagnosis of OAB. The BDNF/Cr ratio was found to be more significant in monitoring treatment response.&nbsp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir 3500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadriye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 0600, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dinçel
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir 3500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Afig
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berdeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir 3500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000652:urine*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C502240:NGF protein, human; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor