Mapping of pain phenotypes in female patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis and controls.

Background: Many bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) patients report multiple pain locations outside the pelvis. No research has examined pain using a whole-body diagram, pain-associated adjustment factors, or the impact of pain in multiple body areas on patients' quality of life (QoL).

Objective: Compare and contrast pain in BPS/IC patients and controls using a whole-body diagram (visible body areas).

Childhood sexual trauma in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: a case control study.

Background: The impact of early lifetime trauma on symptom severity and quality of life of patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) has not been fully elucidated. We wanted to determine and compare the prevalence and impact of childhood traumatic events, with an emphasis on childhood sexual abuse, on patient symptoms, quality of life and other biopsychosocial parameters.

Methods: Subjects (female patients with IC/BPS and controls without IC/BPS) completed psychosocial phenotyping questionnaires, including a demographics/history form, and validated questionnaires focused on presenting symptoms (IC symptom indices, pain), psychosocial parameters (depression, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, sexual functioning, social support) and quality of life.

Pelvic floor therapies in chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a poorly understood clinical entity associated with urinary symptoms, pelvic floor dysfunction, and multisystem disorders. Treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction is difficult and often frustrating for the patient as well as for the involved physician. The purpose of this review is to update clinicians on the latest research for the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction in relation to chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and associated medical conditions with an emphasis on irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Purpose: We characterized and compared the impact of clinical phenotypic associations between interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and controls in relation to potentially related conditions, particularly irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Materials And Methods: Female patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and controls with no interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome completed a biopsychosocial phenotyping questionnaire battery which included demographics/history form, self-reported history of associated conditions, and 10 validated questionnaires focused on symptoms, suffering/coping and behavioral/social factors.

Results: Questionnaires were completed by 205 patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and 117 controls matched for age.

Spinal NK1 receptor is upregulated after chronic bladder irritation.

It has been suggested that there is a significant upregulation of the NK1 receptor (NK1R) on neurons in the dorsal spinal cord after long-term somatic inflammation. This upregulation appears to play a significant role in central sensitization in chronic pain states. However, it is not clear whether such a change is also observed after chronic visceral (bladder) inflammation.