Guideline of guidelines: bladder pain syndrome

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a debilitating condition which can be difficult to diagnose and treat due to the lack of consensus on aetiology, definition, and management. The aim of this review is to summarise the findings from major national and international guidelines on the management of BPS, highlighting areas of disagreement and uncertainty.

We performed a Medline/PubMed search from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2017 in order to identify relevant guidelines addressing BPS/interstitial cystitis. We also manually searched the websites of major national and international societies. The following guidelines were included in this review: European Association of Urology, American Urological Association, International Society for the Study of BPS, International Consultation on Incontinence, International Continence Society, East Asian guideline, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists/British Society of Urogynaecology, and the Canadian Urological Association.

There is disagreement between guidelines on the exact definition of BPS and the nomenclature to use to describe this condition. However, all agree that the diagnosis is dependent on the presence of pain, pressure, or discomfort, in addition to at least one urinary symptom, in the absence of other diseases that could cause pain. Exclusion of other pathology that could cause similar symptoms requires thorough evaluation, and is recommended in all guidelines. There is also disparity in the recommended diagnostic investigation of BPS, with hydrodistension and bladder biopsy either recommended, considered optional, or not recommended, by different guidelines. It is accepted that BPS can be diagnosed clinically, without invasive investigation, but cystoscopy and diagnostic hydrodistension aids sub-typing of patients and may help direct treatment strategies. Patients should be phenotyped in order to direct multimodal treatment (including behavioural, physical, emotional, and psychological therapy), and treatments should follow a stepwise approach starting with the most conservative. Although widely performed, hydrodistension as a therapeutic strategy has a limited evidence base and is unlikely to provide long-term resolution of symptoms CONCLUSION: There are multiple national and international guidelines for the diagnosis and management of BPS, and this review has highlighted the differences in nomenclature, definitions, and recommended diagnostic tests between guidelines. The overall evidence base for the majority of treatments for BPS/IC is of low-quality, and larger randomised trials are required to more accurately inform guideline recommendations and clinical management of this complex group of patients.