[Clinical and diagnostic evaluation in patients with interstitial cystitis]

Interstitial cystitis is a disease of unknown origin; in the last twenty years several epidemiological studies reported an increase in frequency.

To describe the symptoms, cystoscopic and histologic findings of 18 cases of interstitial cystitis.

A descriptive, retrospective and analytical study of 331 women with lower urinary tract symptoms studied in Urodifem de Occidente, (private Urogynecology Clinic), between January 2001 and April 2008. The diagnostic criterion was in agreement with the NIDDK and the Interstitial Cystitis DataBase Study. The statistical analysis was in interval scale means, standard deviations and ranges. Indeed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

The most common symptoms were: urinary frequency (100%) nocturia (94.4%), urgency (72%), pain (66.6%), urgency-incontinence (16.7%). Endoscopic lesions were glomerular in 55% and Hunner ulcers in 44.5%. The severity of quality of life resulted in average of 16.7 +/- 2.9 and 15 +/- 2, p < 0.001.

Urogynecologists must considerer interstitial cystitis when patients show symptoms of bladder irritability and associate pain with the bladder filling. The association of hematuria accompanied by long-term irritability and pain associated with the desire of urination suggests this disease. Cystoscopy is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis.