title: Increased risk of ischemic stroke among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis: a cohort study from Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular factors are proposed in the etiology of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). In this study, we investigated the risk of stroke among women following a diagnosis of BPS/IC over 3 years of follow-up, compared to controls without a BPS/IC diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cohort study used data retrieved from the Taiwan "Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000." We identified 847 women who received a diagnosis of BPS/IC between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2008 (study group) and 4,235 comparison women (women without a BPS/IC diagnosis matched on age and other selected demographic variables. All subjects were tracked for 3 years following the index date to identify those who received a diagnosis of stroke during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stroke incidence rate was 20.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 15.78-27.07) and 11.65 (95% CI: 9.88-13.64) per 1,000 person-years among the study and comparison cohorts, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed a stroke hazard ratio (HR) of 1.52 (95% CI: 1.09-2.14) in the BPS/IC group relative to the comparison group over 3-year follow-up, after adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, and chronic kidney disease. The adjusted HR of ischemic stroke was 1.52 (95% CI: 1.02-2.27). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in hemorrhagic stroke risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates an association between BPS/IC and a subsequent ischemic stroke diagnosis among women in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Ban Ciao, Taipei, Taiwan; Sleep Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiu-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xirasagar
authors.forename: Ching-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wells
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Hsien-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Herng-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis; interstitial cystitis; stroke