Is there an association between vulvodynia and interstitial cystitis?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Objective: To prospectively evaluate the relationship between vulvodynia and interstitial cystitis (IC). Methods: Patients who were referred to a tertiary care clinic with vulvodynia refractory to standard therapies were evaluated for interstitial cystis (IC) via history, physical examination, and cystoscopy with hydraulic bladder dilation. Patients diagnosed with IC were offered treatment. Primary outcome measures were a change in average daily pain score based on 11-point Likert scale, and an investigator-rated clinical impression of pain at 6 months. Results: Twenty-five patients were evaluated for IC. Seventeen patients (68%) were diagnosed with IC, three patients (12%) had equivocal findings, and five patients (20%) had no evidence of IC. Therapy was initiated for the 17 patients diagnosed with IC, with a reduction in average daily pain score from 7.5 to 2.9 at 6 months. Using the investigator-rated impression of pain, 7/17 patients (41%) had significant improvement in their pain, 8/17 patients (47%) were moderately improved, and 2/18 (12%) were minimally improved. Conclusions: Sixty-eight percent of women with refractory vulvodynia were found to have IC. Therapy for IC improved pain scores at 6 months for vulvodynia patients with co-existing IC; 41% were significantly improved and 47% mod-erately improved. These findings suggest an association between vulvodynia and IC. Assessment for IC is warranted for patients with vulvodynia refractory to other therapies.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: