literature on randomized placebo-controlled trials with a beneficial effect (under construction)
ESSIC uses the name bladder pain syndrome (BPS) instead of interstitial cystitis (IC) and/or painful bladder syndrome (PBS): click here for more details.
A
prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind study
of amitriptyline for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. van Ophoven A, Pokupic S, Heinecke A, et
al. J Urol 2004;172:533-6 • the authors conclude that amitriptyline therapy for 4 months is safe and effective for treating IC
• a statistically significant change in the symptom score and statistically significant improvement of pain and urgency intensity compared with placebo were observed
• anticholinergic side effects constitute the major drawback of amitriptyline treatment for IC
see also: Efficacy of tricyclic antidepressant is associated with beta2-adrenoceptor genotype in patients with interstitial cystitis. Nishijima S, Sugaya K, Yamada T, et al. Biomed Res 2006;27:163-7 • the efficay of imipramine was studied in 55 IC patients and 113 controls in relation to the polymorphism of the beta2-adrenoreceptor (ADRB2)
• the results suggest that the Arg16Gly polymorphism of ADRB2 is related to down-regulation of ADRB2 expression in the detrusor muscle and that the response of IC to tricyclic antidepressant therapy depends on the Arg16Gly polymorphism.
Randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging study of pentosan polysulfate sodium for interstitial cystitis. Nickel JC, Barkin J, Forrest J, et al. Urology 2005;65:654-8 • three dosages (300, 600, and 900 mg) of PPS in a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, multicenter, 32-week study were studied in 380 IC patients
• at study end, 27.5%, 56.9%, and 15.7% reported mild, moderate, and severe symptoms, respectively • for all three dosages of PPS, a clinically significant but similar response was demonstrated; the duration of therapy appears to be more important than the dosage
intravesical treatment
Time to Initiation of Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium Treatment After Interstitial Cystitis Diagnosis: Effect on Symptom Improvement. Nickel JC, Kaufman DM, Zhang HF, et al. Urology 2008;71:57-61
• this is a retrospective analysis in patients in patients who had been treated with PPS 300 mg/day for 32 weeks in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial
• initiation of PPS treatment within 6 months of establishing the diagnosis of IC may be associated with greater improvement in patient symptoms and symptom bother than treatment initiation 24 months or more after IC diagnosis
Safety and Efficacy of the Use of Intravesical and Oral Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium for Interstitial Cystitis: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Davis EL, El Khoudary SR, Talbott EO, et al. J Urol 2007 Nov 12; [Epub ahead of print] • 41 females diagnosed with IC were randomized to receive a combination of intravesical pentosan polysulfate sodium plus oral pentosan polysulfate sodium or intravesical placebo plus oral pentosan polysulfate sodium for 6 weeks; all subjects continued to receive oral pentosan polysulfate sodium for another 12 weeks
• at week 18 the treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in all quality of life scores, while the placebo group showed significant improvement in only 3 quality of life scores compared to the baseline
