Dysuria at onset of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome in women.
OBJECTIVE
In an ongoing national study of women to identify risk factors for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS), dysuria was identified at the onset of IC/PBS in a small majority and the evidence for urinary tract infection was evaluated.


METHODS
In women with IC/PBS of 12 months' duration or less, symptoms and pertinent laboratory tests at onset were assessed by telephone interview and medical record review.


RESULTS
Of 138 women, 75 (54%) reported that they had started to experience burning or pain on urination at the onset of IC/PBS. Of those with urine cultures, 12 (34%) of 35 women with dysuria versus 1 (5%) of 21 without dysuria yielded a uropathogen (P = 0.01). Similarly, the microscopic white blood cell count and dipstick nitrites and leukocyte esterase were each significantly more common in the urine samples of those with dysuria than in those without. Additionally, 7 of 75 of those with dysuria versus 1 of 62 without dysuria reported chills or fever at the onset of IC/PBS. Using various definitions, the prevalence of urinary tract infection at the onset of IC/PBS, at a minimum, was 16% to 33% of those with dysuria versus less than 2% of those without dysuria (P < or = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
A slight majority of women with IC/PBS reported dysuria at onset of their IC/PBS symptoms. The available laboratory data have suggested that dysuria may be a sensitive indicator of urinary tract infection at the onset of IC/PBS; however, its specificity is as yet undetermined.
Warren
John W
JW
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. jwarren@medicine.umaryland.edu
Diggs
Christina
C
Brown
Vivian
V
Meyer
Walter A
WA
Markowitz
Suzanne
S
Greenberg
Patty
P
D000328:Adult; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D013577:Syndrome; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology*