Hand & Foot Nocturnal Enuresis TENS Study

Pilot Study: Hand & Foot Neuromodulation for Nocturnal Enuresis in Children

The investigators believe in order to strengthen the evidence in support of transcutaneous foot stimulation in this population the investigators need to move forward with a randomized comparison study using the TENS device on the hand and foot as a control.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Bedwetting
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: TENS

Detailed Description

Nocturnal enuresis is a common problem in children which can have a dramatic psychological and social impact on quality of life. Neuromodulation by transcutaneous foot stimulation of peripheral tibial nerve branches has been shown to produce a prolonged inhibition of micturition reflex contractions and significantly increase bladder capacity. The investigators primary goal was to evaluate the effect of foot stimulation on the frequency of nocturnal enuresis episodes in children.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 27
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15224
      • Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh og UPMC

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 5 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Children ages 5 to 18 years old without any specific neurological disorder or urinary tract infection, clinically diagnosed as having nocturnal enuresis AT LEAST 4 episodes per month by history, nocturnal enuresis is a DSM V diagnosable medical condition
2. Currently having no daytime overactive bladder symptoms, i.e. urinary frequency, urgency, or daytime incontinence
3. Having been assessed for and treated if applicable for behavioral etiologies of nocturnal enuresis - consuming excess fluids or specific bladder irritants
4. Having been assessed for and treated if applicable for constipation

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Children with known neurological disorders which may be contributing to nocturnal enuresis episodes
2. Children found through history to have significant behavioral causes of nocturnal enuresis including consumption of excessive fluids or known bladder irritants
3. Children with chronic constipation who are non-compliant with previous pharmacologic efforts to treat.
4. Children who are not adequately potty trained
5. Children with significant daytime symptoms of overactive bladder including frequency, urgency, and daytime incontinence
6. Children who do not tolerate initial stimulation training session in the urology clinic upon enrollment
7. Children with any implantable medical devices such as a pacemaker will be excluded from the study

Note: Any patient currently taking medication such as an anti-muscarinic or a tricyclic antidepressant for overactive bladder at time of enrollment will be eligible to participate and will be continued on their usual medication and dosage throughout the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Hand neuromodulation; The stimulation characteristics for this arm include a continuous frequency of 5 Hz, pulsewidth 0.2 ms, and intensity 2-4 times the threshold voltage required for finger twitching - or the intensity that the subject feels comfortable with. Subjects will be asked to use the stimulator for a minimum of 60 minutes prior to bedtime for two weeks, or longer if they can tolerate it, have the time, and accurately record the total duration. Stimulation will be performed during the first, second, and third weeks of the study.	Device: TENS; Placebo had stimulator placed on hand. Active comparator had stimulator placed on foot. Amount of time, intensity, threshold voltage, pulsewidth and frequency remained the same for both arms.
Active Comparator: Foot Neuromodulation; The stimulation characteristics include a continuous frequency of 5 Hz, pulsewidth 0.2 ms, and intensity 2-4 times the threshold voltage required for inducing toe twitching - or the intensity that the subject feels comfortable with. The subjects will be asked to wear socks on their foot to prevent the electrodes from detachment and to stop the stimulation during walking or in any non-resting situation. Subjects will be asked to use the stimulator for a minimum of 60 minutes prior to bedtime for two weeks, or longer if they can tolerate it, have the time, and accurately record the total duration. Stimulation will be performed during the first, second, and third weeks of the study.	Device: TENS; Placebo had stimulator placed on hand. Active comparator had stimulator placed on foot. Amount of time, intensity, threshold voltage, pulsewidth and frequency remained the same for both arms.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Number of Nights Wet Per 2 Weeks	The subject/parents will be instructed to record a night-time voiding log specifying the change in number of nights wet per 2 weeks. This log is included in the IRB application. Subjects/parents will fill out the log for a two week period prior to foot stimulation to determine a baseline average of nocturnal enuresis episodes, during week 3 and 4 of the study the subjects will stimulate either their foot or hand to measure any acute effect on nocturnal enuresis episodes and finally during week 5 and 6 of the study, after stimulation subjects will keep a log to evaluate any post-stimulation residual benefit	6 weeks
Response to Treatment	Total number of participants that responded to treatment after stimulation with Hand or Foor unit.	An average of 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Night Time Log	The subject/parents will be instructed to record a night-time voiding log specifying the number of incontinent episodes per night. This log is included in the IRB application. Subjects/parents will fill out the log for a two week period prior to foot stimulation to determine a baseline average of nocturnal enuresis episodes, during week 3 and 4 of the study the subjects will stimulate either their foot or hand to measure any acute effect on nocturnal enuresis episodes and finally during week 5 and 6 of the study, after stimulation subjects will keep a log to evaluate any post-stimulation residual benefit	6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Rajeev Chaudhry
• Collaborators: Society of Urodynamics and Female Urology The Coulter Foundation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rajeev Chaudhry, MD, University of Pittsburgh

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 5, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 19, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): April 22, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 21, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Urologic Diseases; Urination Disorders; Elimination Disorders; Enuresis; Nocturnal Enuresis
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro15120157

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO