Aim. To get epidemiologic data about primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) and its influence on the quality of life of Slovenian children and adolescents and to find out the knowledge about the disorder among school population. Methods. Prospective epidemiologic study was performed in Slovenia in 2011 and supported with two questionnaires. The first questionnaire was distributed among primary school population that included 1248 children. The second questionnaire included 44 children, who have been treated for PNE in Nephrology Unit of our Department of Paediatrics. Results. PNE was diagnosed in 12.4% of children, in 11.8% of girls and in 13.0% of boys. There was evident linkage between the appearance of PNE in children and their relatives. The study showed that PNE influences the quality of life in less than half of the investigated children. Disorder restricts them mostly in relations with coevals. Knowledge about PNE among children in elementary schools was found to be insufficient. Conclusion. We found out that the prevalence of PNE in Slovenia is comparable to prevalence in other countries. More than half of children questioned in a survey think that PNE does not affect their lives significantly. General lack of knowledge about PNE is still a problem. 1. Introduction Primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) is defined as involuntary bladder voiding at night of a child who has never been dry for more than six months and is older than five years [1]. About 15 to 20% of five-year-old children are bedwetters with variations in frequency of bedwetting. It is also present in 5% of ten-year-old children and 1% of teenagers [2]. Some studies show that boys wet their bed more often than girls, but other studies contradict them [3]. The main pathophysiological mechanisms of PNE include decreased functional bladder capacity, increased night-time urine secretion (reduction in antidiuretic hormone secretion), and impaired wakening from sleep at filled bladder [4]. We try to suppress the disorder with general measures until the age of six. Children who are older than six years are treated with bedwetting alarm or desmopressin [5]. Sometimes some other medications like anticholinergics are used [6]. PNE can have negative influence on everyday activities, family vacations, and on child’s wishes and capabilities to leave home with friends and family [7]. These children are known to be sadder, socially distant, anxious, unhappy, or even depressed [8]. They often face fear and spend most of their time in society under stress, because they are ashamed and try to cover up this
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