Inpatient bladder rehabilitation promotes continence in children with refractory OAB

An inpatient rehabilitation “voiding school” programme is beneficial to children with refractory overactive bladder (OAB), promoting continence and ameliorating the degree of severity, a study reports.

Researchers reviewed the medical records of 357 children (mean age, 9.7 years; 63.6 percent boys) with refractory OAB who attended voiding school. They evaluated the short- and long-term (1-year follow-up) outcome, as well as identified which children derived the most benefit.

The inpatient rehabilitation programme yielded a favourable long-term effect on day- and night-time incontinence, with 36.6 percent of children achieving dryness in the day and at night. Moreover, relative to the level of continence before attending the voiding school programme, the number of wet nights and days declined with 4 extra dry days and/or nights per week.

Meanwhile, there was a transient increase noted in maximal voiding volume, without relapse incontinence.

Factors that exerted a negative impact on the overall outcome of the inpatient programme included younger age, male sex, dysfunctional voiding and nocturnal polyuria.

There are several children with OAB who don’t see improvements in bladder function despite adequate management, the researchers noted, adding that an inpatient bladder rehabilitation “voiding school” programme may provide an alternative strategy.