Results of treatment of refractory interstitial cystitis with intravesical hyaluronic acid.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic benign disease of the bladder that causes bothersome and debilitating symptoms and mainly affects women. Since interstitial cystitis (IC) might result from a defective glycosaminoglycan layer of the bladder epithelium, we conducted a trial of hyaluronic acid (HA), used intravesically, to test its activity in the treatment of this disease. A total of 10 patients with typical findings of IC were included. Following bladder catheterisation, the patients received a dose of 40 mg, weekly for 6 weeks, and then monthly. Response to therapy was evaluated by comparing the pre-treatment and post-treatment symptom scores and voiding diaries. There was a 30% positive response rate at week 6, which was maintained until week 24. No significant local or general side-effects were noted during the course of treatment. Although we recorded a low incidence of success in our group of patients, the results of our limited study were satisfactory in the group of responsive patients (30%), who had no relapses during the observation period of 6 months. The intravesical administration of HA was well tolerated in all cases.
Porru
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Clinica Urologica, Università di Cagliari, Italia.
Campus
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Tudino
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Valdes
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Vespa
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Scarpa
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Usai
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D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000328:Adult; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid