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NCT Number: NCT07003126

A Cohort Study on Treating Primary Nocturnal Enuresis by Regulating Central-Peripheral Circadian Rhythm

Primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE), a prevalent pediatric disorder, suffers from therapeutic limitations characterized by low efficacy and high relapse rates. Targeting its core pathophysiology could significantly improve treatment outcomes. Growing evidence implicates circadian dysregulation in PNE pathogenesis. Our preliminary fMRI cohort identified abnormal functional connectivity between the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN, the central circadian pacemaker) and superior temporal gyrus in PNE patients, with clinical data confirming circadian realignment correlates with symptom remission. Small-scale pilot studies and clinical observations indicate that modulating central and peripheral circadian rhythms significantly alleviates PNE symptoms. This study will establish a circadian-focused PNE cohort to quantify therapeutic efficacy and elucidate underlying mechanisms, ultimately driving the development of mechanism-based therapies for PNE.

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Key information

Age range

5 year–15 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Shanghai children's medical center

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200127, China

Location contact

Jun Ma, Doctor

CONTACT

[email protected]

13917230745

About this study

The intervention training will last for 6 months. Researchers will compare the therapeutic efficacy of the "Circadian Rhythm Intervention Combined with Bladder Training Group (treatment group)" and the "Bladder Training (basic treatment for enuresis) Only Group (control group)" for PNE.

Participants will be assigned to either the "Circadian Rhythm Intervention Combined with Bladder Training Group (treatment group)" or "Bladder Training (basic treatment for enuresis) Only Group (control group)" through stratified block randomization matching participants by sex (male/female), age (in years), and enuresis frequency. Within each stratified subgroup, block randomization with a 1:1 allocation ratio will be implemented using computer-generated random sequences, ensuring balanced demographic distribution between the two intervention arms while maintaining concealment of allocation sequence.

In the "Circadian Rhythm Intervention Combined with Bladder Training Group (treatment group)", participants will receive a 6-month behavioral therapy including both bladder training and circadian rhythm intervention. Bladder training combined with circadian rhythm interventions involves sleep hygiene optimization, individualized chronotype alignment, morning bright light therapy and bladder training component. The bladder training component (basic treatment for enuresis) includes fluid intake modification, micturition desire-relaxation training, and sphincter control training. Clinical symptom severity and key pathophysiological parameters will be evaluated at baseline and at 6 months post-intervention.

In the "Bladder Training Only Group (control group)", participants will receive a 6-month behavioral therapy including only bladder training. The bladder training component (basic treatment for enuresis) includes fluid intake modification, micturition desire-relaxation training, and sphincter control training. Clinical symptom severity and key pathophysiological parameters will be evaluated at baseline and 6 months post-intervention.

The investigators will compare changes in enuresis improvement rate, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, sleep physiological parameters, salivary melatonin levels, diurnal and nocturnal urine volume, standardized bladder capacity, and grade scoring of the micturition desire-awakening function before and after the intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis according to the ICCS criteria:

At least one episode of involuntary nighttime urination per month for more than 3 months.

No abnormalities in routine urinalysis. No period of bedwetting-free days lasting more than 6 months, except for organic diseases.

  • Age: 5 to 15 years (inclusive), regardless of gender.
  • Right-handedness (as assessed by the Annett Hand Preference Questionnaire)

Exclusion criteria

  • Secondary nocturnal enuresis;
  • History of head trauma, neurological disorders, psychosurgery, or major physical conditions (including autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, cerebral palsy);
  • Contraindications to fMRI.
  • Note: Mild comorbidities commonly associated with primary nocturnal enuresis (e.g., ADHD) are permitted but must be included as covariates in statistical analyses.

Treatment and study plan

Circadian Rhythm Intervention Combined with Bladder Training

Behavioral

Participants diagnosed with primary nocturnal enuresis will be screened at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, and eligible patients will be enrolled. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Bladder Training Combined with Circadian Rhythm Intervention Group, which will receive a 6-month integrated protocol encompassing bladder training and circadian rhythm intervention. The bladder training component includes fluid intake restriction, micturition desire-relaxation training, and sphincter control training. Circadian rhythm interventions involve sleep hygiene education, chronotype-guided bedtime scheduling, and morning bright light therapy.

Bladder Training (basic treatment for enuresis)

Behavioral

Participants diagnosed with primary nocturnal enuresis will be screened at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, and those meeting eligibility criteria will be enrolled. Participants will be randomized to the Bladder Training Only Group, which will receive a 6-month intervention comprising fluid intake restriction, micturition desire-relaxation training, and sphincter control training.

Primary outcomes

  1. Enuresis Improvement Rate

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    The enuresis improvement rate is the sum of the complete and partial response rates.

    No response: <50% reduction. Partial response: 50 to 99% reduction. Complete response: 100% reduction.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Data

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Resting-state fMRI data will be acquired to characterize brain functional networks, with a focus on analyzing functional connectivity between the suprachiasmatic nucleus and superior temporal gyrus.

  2. Diurnal and Nocturnal Urine Volume

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Participants will complete at least one 24-hour fluid intake and voiding diary per week, including diurnal and nocturnal urine volume recorded pre-treatment, during treatment, and post-treatment.

    Daytime voiding will be measured using graduated plastic cylinders for each urination. Nocturnal voiding will be recorded by wearing pre-weighed diapers (with urine volume calculated by weighing the diapers the next day) or through timed voiding upon waking during the night.

    The average total diurnal and nocturnal urine volume during each recorded period will be calculated as the participant's diurnal and nocturnal urine volume at different time points.

  3. Heart Rate Variability

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Continuous measurement of beat-to-beat intervals assessed via research-grade wearable actigraphy, using artificial intelligence-driven chronobiological analytics to extract features.

    Unit of Measure: Milliseconds

  4. Polysomnography-Validated Sleep Metrics

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Sleep efficiency validated against polysomnography benchmarks and derived from wearable actigraphy data streams.

    Unit of Measure: Percent (%)

  5. Grade scoring of the micturition desire-awakening function

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    The grade scoring of the micturition desire-awakening function based on the average awakening ability each night. The grade scoring of the micturition desire-awakening function is as follows:

    Grade 5: Remains asleep most of the time after urination. Grade 4: Only awakens after completely wetting the bed. Grade 3: Awakens only after urinating a significant amount and then goes to the toilet to void the remaining urine.

    Grade 2: Awakens after urinating a small amount and then goes to the toilet to void the remaining urine.

    Grade 1: Awakened by the urge to urinate, without wetting the bed.

  6. Standardized Bladder Capacity

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Standardized bladder capacity = bladder capacity/body surface area. Compare the standardized mean bladder capacity as well as the maximum and minimum daytime/nighttime bladder capacity changes from baseline to 6 months.

    The term mean daytime bladder capacity refers to the average volume of voided urine measured on the frequency volume chart throughout a 24-hour cycle.

    The term maximum/minimum daytime bladder capacity refers to the largest/smallest volume of voided urine measured on the frequency volume chart during the day. It excludes the first morning void.

    The term maximum/minimum nighttime bladder capacity refers to the largest/smallest volume of voided urine measured on the frequency volume chart during the night. It includes the first morning void.

  7. Salivary Melatonin Levels

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months

    Saliva samples (2 mL each) will be collected from children with PNE at 4-hour intervals starting at 09:00, yielding seven timepoints (09:00, 13:00, 17:00, 21:00, 01:00, 05:00, and 09:00 the following day) within a ±1-hour window. Collections at 21:00, 01:00, and 05:00 will be performed under dim-light conditions (ambient illumination <30 lux).

    Salivary melatonin concentrations will be quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-a rapid, sensitive, and reliable method validated for low-abundance hormone detection in saliva.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jun Ma, Doctor

CONTACT

[email protected]

13917230745

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Shanghai Children's Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jun 4, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 4, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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