POL Scientific / Bladder / Volume 11 / Issue 4 / DOI: 10.14440/bladder.2024.0043
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CASE SERIES

Post-COVID-19 neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction in pediatrics: A case series of clinical manifestations resembling Elsberg syndrome

Giovanni Mosiello1 Giulia Barone1,2 Chiara Pellegrino1* Ida Barretta1,2 Maria Laura Sollini1,3 Enrico Castelli4 Gessica Della Bella5 Noemi Deanesi6 Gaia Paolella1 Maria Luisa Capitanucci1
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1 Division of Neuro-Urology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare IRCCS, Rome, 00165 Italy
2 Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DiNOGMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, 16132 Italy
3 Department of Clinical Science and Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, 00133 Italy
4 Neurorehabilitation Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, 00165 Italy
5 Department of Neurorehabilitation, Division of Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, 00165 Italy
6 Department of Urology, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Rome, 00128 Italy
Bladder 2024 , 11(4), e21200024; https://doi.org/10.14440/bladder.2024.0043
Submitted: 3 October 2024 | Revised: 5 November 2024 | Accepted: 20 November 2024 | Published: 10 January 2025
© 2024 by the Bladder published by POL Scientific. Licensee POL Scientific, USA. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Background: Among the numerous complications associated with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome, neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) has been rarely reported, particularly in the pediatric population. Case Presentation: This report presented three pediatric cases of NLUTD that developed following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, with clinical features resembling Elsberg syndrome. These cases were notable for the severity of their urinary symptoms, which required specialized and individualized bladder management strategies. This case series aims to raise awareness of this emerging clinical condition, which may be underdiagnosed in children recovering from COVID-19. Pediatricians, general practitioners, and urologists should be vigilant in considering NLUTD as a potential diagnosis in children presenting with new or unexplained urinary symptoms. Early diagnosis and timely management are crucial to address these symptoms effectively and prevent potential complications, such as irreversible upper urinary tract damage or long-term bladder dysfunction. Conclusion: Further investigations are warranted to clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying post-COVID-19 NLUTD. Moreover, long-term follow-up studies are needed to better understand the natural history and implications of this condition in the pediatric population, as well as to develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment.

Keywords
Voiding dysfunction
Children
Post-coronavirus disease 2019
Neurogenic bladder
Elsberg syndrome
Funding
This work was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health through Current Research funds (Grant number: 003_2024).
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Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Bladder, Electronic ISSN: 2327-2120 Print ISSN: TBA, Published by POL Scientific