Open AccessDesmopressin 120 mcg, 180 mcg, 240 mcg: The right treatment for the right patient
Author(s) -
Pietro Ferrara,
Ester Del Vescovo,
Francesca Ianniello,
Giulia Franceschini,
Luciana Romaniello,
Alberto Verrotti
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
archivio italiano di urologia andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.429
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 2282-4197
pISSN - 1124-3562
DOI - 10.4081/aiua.2018.2.127
Subject(s) - desmopressin , medicine , urology , enuresis , anesthesia
Background: The first-line drug therapy for patients with nocturnal enuresis (NE) associated with nocturnal polyuria and normal bladder function is desmopressin (dDAVP). Objective: To evaluate if increasing dose of oral desmopressin lyophilisate (MELT) can improve response rates to dDAVP and is useful in enuretic children. Materials and methods: We enrolled a total of 260 children all diagnosed with NE. Enuretic children were treated with increasing MELT at a dose of 120, 180 and 240 mcg a day.Results. We included in our study a total of 237 children, 164 males (69.2%) and 73 females (30.8%) aged between 5 and 18 years (mean age 10.32 ± 2.52 years). Of the 237 patients enrolled in the study and treated with MELT 120 mcg, a full response was achieved in 135 (56.9%). A partial response was achieved in 21 (8.9%) patients, therefore the dose was increased up to 180 mcg, with further improving symptoms (14.3%) or full response (9.5%), and up to 240 mcg, without usefulness. Conclusions: MELT at the dose of 120 mcg resulted efficacy and safety; the increased dose up to 180 mcg resulted poorly efficacy; finally, the further increase up to 240 mcg did not improve the symptoms with the increased risk of side effects.