Introduction: In the treatment of primary nocturnal monosymptomatic enuresis different therapeutic procedures are applied. Objective: Assessment whether alarm therapy can be successful in patients with a relapse of enuresis after completed desmopressin therapy. Patients and methods: In 1999 - 2000 the authors included 42 patients with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis in their study. Before the investigation started every patient had at leat one year of follow up, 6 and more (median 8.2) unsuccessful desmopressin therapies and a frequency of enuresis twice a week or more often. The training of alarm therapy in the family took 2 - 3 weeks. As criterion of success an enuretic calendar was used. Results: The investigation was completed by all 42 children aged 7 - 11 years (median 8.4). A total of 36 (85.7%) patients achieved in the course of 8 - 27 weeks (median 24.6) following the beginning of alarm therapy a 30-day dry interval after which treatment was discontinued. A relapse occurred in 3 (14%) patients, in another 6 (28%) during the 12-month follow up. Reinstallation of treatment led to regression of enuresis. Conclusion: Unsuccessful treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis by nasal desmopressin administration does not rule out highly successful alarm treatment.

        Key words: enuresis, desmopressin, alarms, alarm therapy