Lower urinary tract dysfunction and ultrasound assessment of bladder wall thickness in children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) based on questionnaire symptom scoring and ultrasound assessment of bladder wall thickness (BWT) in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

METHODS

A total of 97 children with CP were enrolled in the study. The patients were either symptomatic or asymptomatic with respect to lower urinary tract symptoms. All children underwent a urinary questionnaire and renal ultrasonography. Ultrasound assessment of BWT was completed in 72 cases.

RESULTS

A total of 47 patients were female and 50 were male. The mean age was 8 years 8 months (SD 3 years 1 month), with a range of 5-18 years. Urinary incontinence was present in 43 patients (44.3%). Based on the questionnaire, LUTD was found in 59 patients (60.8%). The mean BWT was 2.30 mm. There was no statistically significant difference between continent and incontinent children (2.46 vs 2.19 mm) or between children with and without LUTD (2.43 vs 2.12 mm).

CONCLUSIONS

LUTD is common in children with CP and occurred in 60.8% of the patients assessed. BWT did not correlate with the presence of bladder dysfunction or incontinence. Ultrasound assessment of BWT was not relevant for diagnosis of lower urinary tract dysfunction.