The relationship of common medical conditions and medication use with symptoms of painful bladder syndrome: results from the Boston area community health survey.
OBJECTIVE
The etiology of painful bladder syndrome is currently unknown. We investigated the relationship between medical factors and symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome in a population based random sample.


METHODS
Data were collected from the Boston Area Community Health Survey, an epidemiological study conducted from 2002 to 2005 in a racially and ethnically diverse population (30 to 79 years old) from Boston, Massachusetts. The operational definition of painful bladder syndrome was symptom based. Those reporting pain increasing as the bladder fills and/or pain relieved by urination (fairly often/usually/almost always) for 3+ months were considered to have symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (adjusted for demographics, anthropometric and other factors) for the association of comorbidities, surgery and medication use with painful bladder syndrome symptoms.


RESULTS
The prevalence of painful bladder syndrome symptoms was 1.3% in men and 2.6% in women. In men only depression was associated in a multivariate model (OR 4.96; 95% CI 1.65, 14.92). In women associations were observed for depression (OR 3.35; 95% CI 1.93, 5.81), history of urinary tract infections (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.49, 4.96), chronic yeast infections (OR 3.11; 95% CI 1.29, 7.51), hysterectomy (OR 2.82; 95% CI 1.20, 6.62), calcium channel blockers (OR 4.59; 95% CI 2.71, 9.72) and cardiac glycosides (OR 10.28; 95% CI 1.46, 72.35), while thyroid medications and statins were inversely associated (OR 0.13; 95% CI 0.03, 0.47 and OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.08, 0.76; respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Gynecologic factors and certain medications may be associated with the painful bladder syndrome in women. Our results for medications suggest potentially modifiable risk factors.
Hall
Susan A
SA
New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Massachusetts, USA. shall@nerisicience.com
Link
Carol L
CL
Pulliam
Samantha J
SJ
Hanno
Philip M
PM
Eggers
Paul W
PW
Kusek
John W
JW
McKinlay
John B
JB
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003625:Data Collection; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations