Aims To verify the relationship between enuresis in childhood and the type of urinary incontinence in adults, considering the gender and age. Methods In this retrospective cohort study the database used contained the records of patients who had with urinary complaints and underwent urodynamic studies in the period from 1999 to 2008. A multinomial logistic regression model was adjusted for the type of UI. Results A total of 661 patient records were analyzed, 585 (88.5%) women and 76 (11.5%) men, with mean age 54 (SD?=?13.3). Patients with urge urinary incontinence (UUI) were compared to those with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and the variables associated were the presence of enuresis in childhood (OR?=?2.37, IC: 1.433.92) and age >50 years (OR?=?2.64, CI: 1.684.15). Comparing patients with mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) and SUI, the presence of enuresis was also associated ((OR?=?1.77, CI: 1.152.73) and the age of more than 50 years (OR?=?1.71, CI: 1.192.44). For both categories of urinary incontinence, the variable sex was not associated. Conclusions Individuals with MUI and UUI in adult life were more likely to have a history of enuresis in childhood than those with SUI. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:634636, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.315634636