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Differentiation of subgroups of monosymptomatic enuresis according to prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex
Author(s) -
Eggert Paul,
Freischmidt Sönke,
Bismarck Phillip v.,
SchulzJürgensen Sebastian
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02624.x
Subject(s) - medicine , prepulse inhibition , enuresis , reflex , moro reflex , audiology , anesthesia , pediatrics , psychiatry , schizophrenia (object oriented programming)
Aim: Monosymptomatic enuresis (ME) is a common disorder in children with serious social and psychological consequences. Treatment is usually initiated with desamino‐arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) and/or alarm therapy as first‐line treatment and imipramine as second‐line. All treatments have proven efficacy, but are not successful with all patients. Therefore, a differentiation into subgroups according to treatment efficacy would be beneficial. Methods: A group of patients resistant to first‐line treatment was treated with imipramine and compared with matched controls successfully treated with dDAVP and/or alarm therapy. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) to acoustic startle reflexes was measured in all patients. Results: In a group of 23 nonresponders, the median PPI was 72% (range 43–94%) compared with the matched dDAVP/alarm – responders with a median PPI of 26% (range 0–61%) (p < 0.0001). The response rate to imipramine was 87%. Conclusion: The presented data provide evidence that PPI allows to identify two subgroups of ME. The results offer further insight into (at least) two different pathomechanisms involved in ME: (i) a maturational delay of reflex inhibition with reduced PPI and (ii) a normal PPI, possibly with abnormal sleep patterns, that can be influenced by imipramine.