title: Concordance of interstitial cystitis in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs.
abstract: Our objective was to determine whether there is a greater concordance of interstitial cystitis (IC) among monozygotic than dizygotic twins. Members of the Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) who responded to a survey about first-degree family members with IC symptoms or confirmed IC were requested to identify themselves if they were 1 of a twin pair. Each twin respondent and co-twin were then evaluated via a questionnaire and acquisition of hydrodistention reports as to their meeting modified National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) criteria for IC. Of the co-twins of 8 monozygotic twin respondents, 2 had probable and 3 had confirmed IC compared with none of the co-twins of the 26 dizygotic twin respondents (including 15 female co-twins). There is a greater concordance of IC among monozygotic than dizygotic twin pairs suggesting a genetic susceptibility to IC.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. jwarren@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Keay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000235:genetics*; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic