Umlauf · Sleep medicine reviews 2003 · narrative review · n=?

Sleep disordered breathing and nocturnal polyuria: nocturia and enuresis.

Cited 133 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review of pathophysiological mechanisms with no new empirical data or systematic search protocol.

PubMed 14573376 · doi:10.1053/smrv.2002.0273 · record verified 2026-08-29

What was done

This narrative review describes the physiological mechanisms connecting sleep-disordered breathing to nocturnal polyuria, nocturia, and enuresis, and discusses the clinical response to airway compromise treatment based on existing literature.

What was found

The abstract reports no quantitative data or specific numerical results. It describes a mechanism whereby inspiratory effort against a closed airway generates negative intrathoracic pressure, causing cardiac distension and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) release. Elevated ANP increases sodium and water excretion while inhibiting vasopressin and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. The review notes that treating obstructive sleep apnea reverses nocturnal polyuria and reduces or resolves nocturia and enuresis.

Why it matters

Identifying nocturia and enuresis as potential indicators of sleep-disordered breathing rather than solely primary urological disorders can aid in accurate diagnosis and improve treatment adherence.

Limits

The abstract provides no original empirical data, quantitative effect sizes, or details regarding the search and selection criteria used for the reviewed literature. It functions as a mechanistic overview rather than a systematic synthesis.

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