OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of enuresis, urinary, and bowel symptoms and associated factors in children aged 7 years in a birth cohort.
METHODS:
A pre-coded questionnaire was applied to 3,602 children who belonged to a birth cohort initiated in 2004 in Pelotas, Brazil. During home visits at 12, 24, and 48 months and at age 7 years, mothers answered a questionnaire with demographic questions and characteristics of bladder and bowel habits of children using a urinary symptom score. Poisson regression was used for the hierarchical multivariable analysis, with robust variance.
RESULTS:
The prevalence of enuresis was 10.6%;11.7% in males and 9.3% in females; enuresis was monosymptomatic in 9.8% of the children (10.8% of males and 8.3% of females); 37.4% had symptoms up to once a week; 32.9%, two to four times a week; and 26.2%, every day, with no difference between genders. The most common urinary symptoms were urinary urgency (22.7%) and urinary retention maneuvers (38.2%). In the multivariate analysis, it was observed that the number of urinary symptoms and the number of children at home showed a direct association with the presence of enuresis, whereas maternal education was inversely associated.
CONCLUSIONS:
Enuresis is a prevalent condition and should be investigated in clinical practice, especially in children of lower socioeconomic status. A detailed history of urinary habits detects associated urinary symptoms, which is important for adequate classification of enuresis and subsequent management.
Enuresis; Urinary symptoms; Children; Prevalence