Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome: Symptom recognition is key to early identification, treatment

Matt T. Rosenberg; Milton M. Lakin; David R. Staskin; Matt T. Rosenberg; Diane K. Newman; Shari A. Page

ABSTRACT

Once thought to be rare, interstitial cystitis (IC) is now believed to have a markedly higher prevalence. This potentially devastating disease is also known as painful bladder syndrome (PBS) and can significantly impact quality of life. It is diagnosed by its symptoms, as there are no proven pathological findings. Unfortunately, the symptoms of IC/PBS overlap those of other common disease states such as overactive bladder, endometriosis, urinary tract infection, and prostatitis, which complicates the differential diagnosis. Understanding the presenting symptoms of urinary frequency, urinary urgency, and pelvic pain in the presence of otherwise normal findings can enhance primary care providers’ ability to appropriately identify the disease. Early identification may allow initiation of therapy or referral before the disease becomes refractory to standard treatment, which typically includes behavioral therapy and possibly multimodal drug therapy.

Footnotes

↵* Milton M. Lakin, MD, has received consulting fees and honoraria from Pfizer and Eli Lilly/ICOS for consulting, teaching/speaking, and advisory board membership. He also reported having stock ownership interest in Pfizer and Eli Lilly.
↵** David R. Staskin, MD, has received honoraria from ESPRIT Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Ortho-McNeil, Watson Pharmaceuticals, and Astellas Pharma for teaching/speaking.
↵* Dr. Rosenberg reported that he has received consulting fees and honoraria from Indevus Pharmaceuticals/ESPRIT Pharma, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline for consulting, teaching/speaking, and serving on advisory committees; honoraria and consulting fees from Verathon Medical for consulting and serving on advisory committees; honoraria from Eli Lilly and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals for teaching/speaking; a research grant from Sanofi-Aventis; and consulting fees and honoraria from Ortho-McNeil for consulting and teaching/speaking. Ms. Newman reported that she has received honoraria from Watson Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Astellas Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and SCA Personal Care for teaching/speaking, as well as for serving on an advisory committee (for Watson) and for consulting (for SCA Personal Care). Ms. Page reported that she has no financial relationships that pose a potential conflict of interest with this article.