Bedwetting--not always what it seems: a sign of sleep-disordered breathing in children.

ISSUES AND PURPOSE: Nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) can linger long into childhood. Sleep research has documented that nocturia and bedwetting are symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults and that bedwetting is predictive of OSA in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Nocturnal polyuria is a cardiovascular response to negative pressure breathing (inspiration against a closed glottis), which is characteristic of OSA.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Evidence of nocturnal polyuria and sleep-disordered breathing are important signs of OSA, a serious but treatable condition.