Nocturnal Enuresis in Children and Adolescent with Sickle cell Anemia

Abstract

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have a tendency to have nocturnal enuresis (NE) more than normal children with males being more affected than females. Mechanisms of NE that operate in normal children probably do so in children with SCA. Postulated causes of nocturnal enuresis in individuals with SCA include hyposthenuria causing nocturnal polyuria, reduced bladder capacity or nocturnal bladder overactivity, sleep disordered breathing and an increased arousal thresholds. The variation in the reported prevalence rate of NE in SCA is probably due to differences in definition criteria and methodology. This review will discuss the prevalence rate and postulated causes of NE in children with SCA.