THE ENDOCRINE THEORY OF NOCTURNAL ENURESI S

Body fluid homeostasis is maintained by the kidney. Such an accurate c ontrol is achieved via the secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), th e secretion of which is regulated by hypothalamic osmoreceptors. Both urine flow rate and the excretion of most electrolytes have a diurnal rhythm: they increase during daytime and decrease during nighttime. Su ch a rhythm seems to be absent in some subjects who suffer from bedwet ting because of relative polyuria. In these cases, the polyuria is ass ociated with a decreased nocturnal secretion of ADH and the subsequent excretion of diluted urine. A deficit in the nocturnal secretion of A DH thus appears to explain the response to desmopression of children w ith a polyuric form of enturesis.