title: Treatment of refractory interstitial cystitis.
abstract: Interstitial cystitis is the most therapeutically frustrating condition of the urinary tract. The vast array of treatments available clearly indicates that none is particularly effective. As the majority of patients fail to experience a significant and prolonged response to standard treatments, new options are frequently being developed. These include the oral administration of cimetidine, the intravesical use of hyaluronic acid and BCG, and total cystectomy with the formation of a continent urinary diversion. Unfortunately, the acceptance of many new treatments is based on incomplete evaluation, and this has resulted in a confusing array of disparate alternatives. Effective and durable treatment will not be available until the nature of the disease is better understood and the mechanisms of action of current therapies are elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nickel
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000465:Algorithms; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010426:Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010426:Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide