Dossche · European journal of pediatrics 2016 · narrative review · n=?

The pathophysiology of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis with special emphasis on the circadian rhythm of renal physiology.

Cited 77 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review synthesizing pathophysiological mechanisms without systematic search or meta-analytic methodology.

PubMed 27138767 · doi:10.1007/s00431-016-2729-3 · record verified 2026-08-29

What was done

The authors conducted a PubMed search to assemble a concise review focusing on renal aspects and circadian rhythms in the pathophysiology of nocturnal polyuria among children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE).

What was found

The abstract reports that 20% to 60% of children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis are resistant to desmopressin therapy. Nocturnal polyuria is partially explained by a blunted circadian rhythm of vasopressin secretion, but alterations in the intrinsic renal circadian clock system also appear to contribute, particularly in desmopressin-resistant cases. No other numerical data were reported.

Why it matters

This review highlights that renal circadian clock dysfunction beyond simple vasopressin deficiency contributes to nocturnal polyuria, providing a mechanistic rationale for why many children do not respond to desmopressin.

Limits

The paper is a narrative review without systematic search protocols, quality appraisal, or meta-analytic pooling. The abstract does not specify the number of included studies, sample sizes, or quantitative effect estimates.

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