Non-bladder conditions in female Taiwanese patients with interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome

Objectives: To detect non-bladder conditions in patients with interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome. Methods: A total of 122 female interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients and a control group of 122 age-matched female patients with stress urinary incontinence completed screening questionnaires for irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular disorder, multiple chemical sensitivities, tension and migraine headache, localized myofascial pain disorder, and fibromyalgia. Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients also completed questionnaires on interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptom severity, including the O'Leary-Sant symptom index, and the visual analog scale for pain and urgency. Results: Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients were more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome than controls (37.5% vs 11.5%), and tension/migraine headache (38.7% vs 15.7%; all P<0.001). The prevalence of temporomandibular disorder, multiple chemical sensitivities, localized myofascial pain disorders and fibromyalgia did not reach a statistical significant difference between the two groups. In the multivariate model, associations were also observed for irritable bowel syndrome (odds ratio 2.546; 95% confidence interval 1.136-5.704) and tension/migraine headache (odds ratio 2.684; 95% confidence interval 1.233-5.842). Patients with more comorbid conditions had more severe and bothersome interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptoms as measured by the visual analog scale of pain (P=0.008) and O'Leary-Sant bother index (P=0.035). Conclusions: Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients are more likely to have multiple non-bladder conditions. These conditions correlate with the severity of interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptoms.