Efficacy and prognositic factors of combined medical therapy for painful bladder syndrome/ interstitial cystitis

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and prognostic factors of combined medical thera-py with amitriptyline, cimetidine and intravesical resiniferatoxin post-hydrodistention for patients with painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC). Methods Twenty-nine patients with PBS/ IC according to NIDDK criteria were enrolled. There were 6 males and 23 females with average age of 52±14 years and average duration of symptoms of 3.7±1.9 years before diagnosis. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Non-concomitant disease group included 10 cases without concomitant disease and 7 cases with unrelated diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Concomitant disease group included 5 cases with history of bladder neck incision, 3 cases with history of transurethral re-section of the prostate, 2 cases with history of gynecologic disease and 2 cases with history of gyneco-logic operation. Patients of concomitant disease group still had the painful bladder syndrome after 3 months when the primary disease had been cured. All patients were treated with amitriptyline (25 mg twice a day), cimetidine (800 mg per day) and intravesical resiniferatoxin (1-2 times) post-hydrodis-tention. The primary assessment index was O'Leary-Sant score. The secondary assessment index was pelvic pain score, mean voiding times per day and mean volume of each micturating. The data of pa-tients before treatment and after follow-up≥9 months were collected to evaluate the efficacy and prog-nostic factors of the combined treatment. Results The mean follow-up for all patients was 9.2±6.0 months. Patients were followed up at month 1 and month 6 after discharge. Then, patients would be followed up at each 6 months interval. The overall remission rate was 65.5% (19/29). Complete re-mission rate was 41.4% (12/29). Partial remission was 24. 1% (7/29). Non-remission rate was 34.5% (10/29). For all patients, the pre-treatment mean voiding times per day were 29±15, voiding volume each time was 64±36 ml, average O'Leary Sant score was 23. 8±4.8, and they were signifi-cantly improved post-treatment (17±12 times, 172±108 ml, 13. 3±10.4, respectively, P<0.001). O' Leary-Sant score of concomitant disease group was lower than that of non-concomitant disease group (21.5±4.7 vs 25.4±4.3, P=0.030). However, complete remission (8.3%, 1/12) of con-comitant disease group was lower than that(64. 7%, 11/17) of non-concomitant disease group (P= 0. 003). In independent variables of patients age, sex, duration of symptom, O'Leary Sant score pre-treatment, and whether or not with concomitant disease, according to the results of Logistic Regres-sion, patients with concomitant disease would have poor prognosis (P-0.008, partial regression coef-ficient was -3. 899, OR was 0. 020). Conclusions Treating PBS/IC patients with amitriptyline, ci-metidine and intravesical resiniferatoxin post-hydrodistention is effective. However, concomitant dis-eases such as gynecologic disease or urethra operation history can impair the effectiveness of these treatment. Key words: Cystitis, interstitial; Drug therapy, combination; Prognosis