Management of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

摘要

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a clinicaldiagnosis based primarily on chronic symptoms of painperceived to be related to the bladder or urethra, often associatedwith urinary urgency or frequency, in the absenceof another identifiable cause. It is a diagnosis of exclusion.Current studies suggest that 2.5–6.7% of American womansuffer symptoms consistent with IC/BPS, with approximately2.8% of urologist visits related to this disorder. It is welldocumentedthat IC/BPS severely impairs quality of life inpatients, leading to time off of work, depression, and impairmentof sexual function. Although there are several proposedtheories for the etiology of IC/BPS, there is no known causeand, therefore, no known cure. In reality, this disorder is aspectrum of multiple forms of chronic pelvic pain. Treatmentof these patients is challenging for several reasons. Herein,I will attempt to provide tips for managing the commonchallenges of treating a patient with IC/BPS.