Prevalence and characteristics of Nocturnal Enuresis (NE) in affected children aged 5-18 years in Saudi Arabia

Background: Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is involuntary urination that happens while you’re asleep after a certain age when you should be able to control your bladder at night. Depending on when the condition first appears, enuresis is divided into primary and secondary categories. Families shouldn’t be concerned about it, but we must be mindful of the effects it may have on the family and the child. This study aims to determine the prevalence and to reveal the characteristics of Nocturnal Enuresis (NE) in affected children aged 5-18 years in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 458 Saudi parents/caregivers, whose children were aged from 5 to 18 years. It was conducted during the period from July 2022 to November 2022. An electronic questionnaire was designed using a Google form distributed among parents/caregivers in Saudi Arabia. Ethical approval was obtained from KFMC. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: 75% of children suffering from NE were males and 51.9% had an age 10 years with a mean age of 8.78± 3 years. In this study 34% of the children with NE experienced 2-4 bouts of bedwetting, per week. The most common procedure done for management was Behavioral Stimulation Therapy (75.9%) and 55.6% reported improvement of the child after the intervention. Male children, and those with an age <10 years had a significantly higher percentage of daily NE (p=<0.05). Children who were circumcised and those who drink a lot of water or any other beverage had a significantly higher percentage of having daily NE (p=<0.05). At the same time, children who had UTI had a significantly higher percentage of having daily NE (p=<0.05). Conclusion: NE occurs among children in various Saudi Arabian regions. Male gender, aged 5 to 10 and suffering from weakness of bladder muscles, chronic constipation, worry and depression was associated with NE and UTI. Families and caregivers utilize effective therapies such as alarm and behavioral stimulation, however, they do not look for medical assistance. Keywords: Nocturnal Enuresis, Children, Characters, Prevalence