URINARY-INCONTINENCE DUE TO IDIOPATHIC HYPERCALCIURIA IN CHILDREN

Idiopathic hypercalciuria is known to cause many nonstone urinary trac t disorders in childhood. In addition to being the most common cause o f microhematuria in children, our study demonstrates that idiopathic h ypercalciuria is also frequently associated with urinary incontinence of all types. Of 124 children evaluated for idiopathic hypercalciuria 28 (23%) had urinary incontinence. Of the 28 children 15 (54%) had noc turnal, 6 (21%) diurnal, and 7 (25%) nocturnal and diurnal incontinenc e. The random urinary calcium-creatinine ratio, which was used to scre en for hypercalciuria, should be part of the initial evaluation for ur inary incontinence in children. Diagnosis may be confirmed by quantita tive urinary calcium excretion. Most urinary incontinence in children that is due to idiopathic hypercalciuria responds to a combination of general treatment for hypercalciuria or thiazide diuretics.