Therapeutic Effects of Imipramine and DDAVP in Enuretic Children: A Randomized Prospective Study / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The therapeutic effects of imipramine and DDAVP in primary monosymptomatic enuretic children were compared using a randomized, prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 23 children, with a mean age of 7.9 years, complaining of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. Baseline evaluations, at the first visit, included voiding diary, enuresis diary, uroflowmetry, urine osmolality, and urine and serum osmolality after a water deprivation test and electrocardiography. After the administration of medication, the changes in the enuretic episodes and adverse effects were evaluated every month. RESULTS: Sixteen children received medication, and after 2 weeks the drug response rate was 57.1% (4/7) in the imipramine group and 33.3% (3/9) in the DDAVP group. Ten of the 16 children completed the study. After 12 weeks of study, the response rate was 75% (3/4) in the imipramine group and 50% (3/6) in the DDAVP group. There were no significant differences in mean urine osmolalities and functional bladder capacities between the response and no-response groups. During the study, side effects developed in only three of the children in the imipramine group. Of these, one demonstrated tachycardia on a follow-up electrocardiography and another complained of irritability, insomnia, a dry mouth and blurred vision. Subsequently, the two children dropped out due to these side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The imipramine and DDAVP had similar therapeutic effects, but the DDAVP had fewer side effects, and was better tolerated, than the imipramine.