Interstitial cystitis-epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, clinical markers

Knowledge of the epidemiology of interstitial cystitis (IC), the burden of the disease in the population, and the identification of possible risk factors remains largely fragmentary. The most reliable information comes from the few population-based studies that have appeared in the literature over the past 25 years, but two major issues urgently need to be addressed by appropriate epidemiologic studies: although studies find that only 10% of IC occurs in men, the hallmark symptoms of chronic prostatitis-pelvic pain, voiding dysfunction, and pain associated with sexual activity-overlap with those in men who carry the IC diagnosis. In addition, it is not known whether children suffer from the condition. The definition of IC is grounded in the symptomatology of pelvic pain and urinary frequency of a chronic nature and unexplained by any known urologic or other system pathology, but undue reliance on cystoscopic criteria has undoubtedly led to significant underdiagnosis. Efforts to identify clinical markers for diagnosis of IC are continuing and may lead the way to ascertaining the etiology and pathophysiology of IC.