title: Prophylactic vesical instillations with 0.2% chondroitin sulfate may reduce symptoms of acute radiation cystitis in patients undergoing radiotherapy for gynecological malignancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the feasibility and efficacy of intravesical instillations with 40 ml chondroitin sulfate 0.2% solution to prevent or reduce acute radiation cystitis in women undergoing pelvic radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a comparative pilot study in 20 patients, half of the patients received instillations. Instillations' bother was measured with visual analog scores (VAS, 0-10); bladder pain, with VAS; micturition-related quality of life, with the urogenital distress inventory (UDI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One of the instilled patients discontinued the instillations. The first median "acceptability"-VAS was 0 (range, 0-3); the last median was 1 (range, 0-3). "Bladder pain"-VAS peaked halfway in the treatment among controls (median, 1; range, 0-5) and after treatment in the instilled patients (median, 1; range, 1-3). UDI scores showed over time median follow-up scores at or above median baseline scores in controls and at or below median baseline scores in instilled patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravesical instillations with chondroitin sulfate 0.2% solution may decrease the bother related to bladder symptoms and are well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.h.hazewinkel@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Menke H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hazewinkel
authors.forename: Lukas J A
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stalpers
authors.forename: Marcel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Dijkgraaf
authors.forename: Jan-Paul W R
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Roovers
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003556:Cystitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014554:Urination / Q000528:radiation effects; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates