Clinical and histological findings in bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis: The implication of time of symptoms

Objective: To find out whether a correlation exists between denudation of urothelium and time of symptom onset in patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC), and to search for a correlation between the impact of symptoms. Patients and methods: Fifty-seven consecutive patients underwent cystoscopy under anaesthesia to classify those cases suspected of being affected with BPS/IC. The time elapsed between onset of symptoms and diagnosis at the time of bladder biopsy was also defined as BPS/IC duration. Bladder biopsies were taken including detrusor muscle, three deep cold biopsies of posterior, anterior and lateral bladder wall. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant correlation between BPS/IC duration and the presence of Hunner’s lesions (P<0.023). Hunner’s lesion with cystoscopy and histological evidence of urothelial denudation with bladder biopsy appear to be related to BPS/IC duration. Thus an early diagnosis allows an appropriate therapeutic approach to be started to prevent a more severe evolution of this multifaceted painful syndrome. Conclusions: Our study shows a correlation between the time of symptom onset and evidence of urothelial denudation and with detrusor mast cell count in the whole group of patients. BPS/IC duration did not seem to correlate with the severity of symptoms, but rather with the presence of associated diseases. Level of evidence: Not applicable for this multicentre audit.