【Objective】 To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in rural children and adolescents. 【Methods】 An epidemiological LUTS survey was carried out on 4 100 children and adolescents (aged 6-16 years) in five primary and secondary schools in rural Henan by means of stratified random cluster sampling using anonymous questionnaires. Daytime urinary incontinence (DUI), nocturnal enuresis (NE), and postnatal diaper use and toilet training were investigated. 【Results】 A total of 3 885 valid questionnaires were recovered (with a recovery rate of 94.76%). The total prevalence of the four symptoms of LUTS, including urgency, frequency, DUI and NE, were 16.42%, 10.91%, 7.41% and 7.95%, respectively. As much as 21.13% subjects had at least one symptom. The prevalence of the four symptoms decreased gradually with age, decreased sharply in those aged 6 to 12 years, and then decreased slowly. The prevalence of LUTS in children who stopped using diapers and stared urine training after 1 year of age was significantly higher than that of those within 1 year of age (χ²=21.605, 23.111, 24.189, 23.509, all P<0.05; χ²=102.17, 72.168, 53.656, 197.76, all P<0.05). There were significant differences in the prevalence of LUTS between those with and without toilet training (χ²=315.273, 198.438, 105.723, 272.502, all P<0.05). The prevalence of LUTS in males was significantly higher than that in females (P<0.05). Constipation, prepuce and phimosis in boys were significantly associated with the prevalence of LUTS (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Rural children and adolescents have a high prevalence of LUTS. Diaper use after 1 year of age, history of urinary tract infection (UTI), lack of toilet training, constipation, and abnormal prepuce are risk factors of LUTS. Urine training before 1 year of age is a protective factor of LUTS.

Objective:To investigate the changes in the morphology, structure and function of the bladders and their effects on the upper urinary tract dilatation(UUTD) after lumbosacral nerve transecting in rats.Methods:A total of 45 female SD rats were included, randomly divided into 3 groups with 15 rats in each group. Two groups were performed bilateral lumbar 6(L6) and cauda equina nerve shearing to establish neurogenic bladder(NB) model, which were nerve transected for 4 weeks(NB-4W) group and nerve transected for 12 weeks(NB-12W) group. Another group was performed bilateral L6 nerves and cauda equine exposing but not transecting, which was sham-operation (Sham) group. Cystometry and renal ultrasound examination were performed and rats in each group were killed to collect the kidney and bladder tissues in NB-4W group at 4 weeks, in Sham group and NB-12W group at 12 weeks after operation. HE, Masson staining, immunohistochemical staining and western blot were used to detect histological changes, expression of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).Results:All rats in NB-4W and NB-12W group showed acontractile detrusor. In the NB-4W and NB-12W group, the maximum cystometric capacity [(5.84±0.33) ml and (3.13±0.35) ml], the detrusor leak point pressure [(25.41±0.86) cm H 2O and (27.36±2.04) cm H 2O] (1 cm H 2O = 0.098 kPa), were significantly higher than those in the Sham group [(0.98±0.14) ml, (7.13±0.90) cm H 2O, both P<0.05]. Compliance in NB-4W group [(0.28±0.21) ml/cm H 2O] and NB-12W group [(0.17±0.12) ml/cm H 2O] were significantly lower than that of the Sham group [(0.34±0.26) ml/cm H 2O], and the compliance of NB-12W group was lower than that of NB-4W group significantly (all P<0.05). HE staining of the bladder showed that the inflammatory cell infiltration was obvious in the NB-4W and NB-12W group. Bladder collagen volume fractions in NB-4W group [(30.5±1.5) %] and NB-12W group [(45.2±3.8) %] were both higher than that of Sham group [(20.7±2.2) %, both P<0.05]. The expression of TGF-β1 and α-SMA in the bladder tissue of NB-4W group were higher than those of sham group, and that of NB-12W group were higher than NB-4W group. In NB-4W group and NB-12W group, 3 (20.0 %) and 7 (46.7 %) rats were found hydronephrosis, respectively. Additionally, HE staining showed that the degree of renal tubule injury and the number of inflammatory cell infiltration in the NB-4W and NB-12W group were higher than those in the Sham group. Masson staining showed that the volume fraction of collagen in kidneys of NB-4W and NB-12W group were (13.1±1.4) % and (21.6±1.9) %, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in sham operation group [(4.6±0.7) %, both P<0.05]. Conclusions:Bilateral L6 + cauda equina nerve transecting can induce NB with hydronephrosis in parts of rats. The degree of bladder fibrosis gradually increased with the time of nerve transection, and the incidence and severity of UUTD also increased with the time of nerve transection.