Korean J Urol.  2003 Jul;44(7):665-671.

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

• Kang JY
• Ha IS
• Chung HI
• Kim KM

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.

Keyword

Enuresis; Imipramine; Desmopressin

MeSH Terms

Child*
Deamino Arginine Vasopressin*
Electrocardiography
Enuresis
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Imipramine*
Mouth
Nocturnal Enuresis
Osmolar Concentration
Prospective Studies*
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Tachycardia
Urinary Bladder
Water Deprivation
Deamino Arginine Vasopressin
Imipramine