Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Childhood obesity is an important health problem all over the world and has been shown to be associated with voiding disorders. The aim of our study is to compare the clinical symptoms, types, voiding symptom scores and uroflow-EMG patterns of obese and normal weight children with voiding dysfunction.

METHODS

Children aged between 7-18 years,45 obese patients and 40 normal weight children diagnosed voiding dysfunction were enrolled in this study. All patients were applied with voiding symptom scoring, urinary system ultrasonography for measurement of residual urine volume and detrusor muscle thickness, uroflow-EMG. Uroflow curves were classified as bell, tower, staccato, interrupted and plateau. The results were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Both groups had similar age, gender, family history of enuresis and/or voiding dysfunction. In obese group, voiding symptom scores, urinary tract infection and constipation were significantly higher than control group (p <0.05). The most common symptoms were an urgency and too quick to finish voiding in the obese group, but enuresis nocturna and urinary incontinence in the control group (p <0.05). While interrupted and plateau pattern were frequent in the obese group, staccato pattern was higher in the control group (p <0.05). Residual urine volume, detrusor muscle thickness were high in obese group and there was no statistical difference (p> 0.05).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Voiding dysfunction is an important health problem that needs to be questioned in obese children. Early diagnosis and treatment effects the prognosis positively and also shortens the duration of the treatment.