Combination Therapy of Imipramine and Desmopressin in Children with Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis

Seo, Young Jun; Lee, Sang Don; Lee, Keum Seob

Abstract

PURPOSE: We prospectively studied to evaluate the therapeutic effect of combination therapy of imipramine and desmopressin on the monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From April 1997 to July 2000, all of 129 monosymptomatic enuretic patients were randomized to three groups: combination therapy group of imipramine and desmopressin (I+D, 46 cases), imipramine group (I, 43 cases) and desmopressin group (D, 40 cases). We performed motivational counselling, reduction of fluid intake prior to bed time and voiding diary in addition to drug thrapy. Therapeutic response was classified as excellent (0-1 wet night/week), good (over 50% reduction of night) and poor responder (less than 50% reduction of night).
RESULTS
Therapeutic response in group I+D, I and D were excellent in 84.8%, 81.4% and 60.0%, good in 10.9%, 11.6% and 35.0% and poor in 4.3%, 7.0% and 5.0%, respectively. As compared with group I and D, average response duration in group I+D was significantly shorter (p<0.05). There was no significant difference of relapse rate at 3 months after cessation of medication in excellent responders among each groups. There were no significant side effects in all of three groups.
CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that combination therapy of imipramine and desmopressin has no better therapeutic effect than impramine or demopressin monotherapy on the monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, except shorter average response duration.