Effect of onabotulinumtoxinA treatment on symptoms and urodynamic findings in pediatric neurogenic bladder

ObjectiveTo evaluate clinical and urodynamic efficiency of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) treatment in pediatric patients with urinary incontinence due to neurogenic overactive bladder.Patients and methodsSeventeen patients aged from 6 to 17 years (median 11 years) were treated with Botox injections. Clinical response to incontinence, duration of the response, and urodynamic results before and 1–3 months after treatment were evaluated.ResultsMean incontinence frequency decreased significantly (p = 0.036); six of 17 patients had >90% reduction, and a further three patients had a 50–90% reduction in incontinence episodes. Median duration of the response was 15 months (range 3–42 months). Mean bladder volume changed from 380 ± 148 ml to 453 ± 147 (p = 0.078), maximal detrusor pressure decreased from 45 ± 31 cmH2O to 32 ± 21 cmH2O (p = 0.030), and the number of patients with detrusor contractions during filling decreased from 12 to three (p = 0.005) after the treatment. The patients with poor bladder compliance had either no response or a short duration of response. At follow-up eight patients had undergone bladder augmentation because of persistent incontinence.ConclusionsAbout one third of pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder had a good response to Botox treatment. In many patients, the clinical response was longer than expected. The patients who initially had poor bladder compliance had a poor response to the treatment.