title: Clinical Characteristic Picture and Impact of Symptoms on Quality of Life of Interstitial Cystitis Patients in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No clinical characteristic picture and impact of symptoms on quality of life (QOL) of interstitial cystitis (IC) patients in Taiwan had been reported. This paper is intended to provide preliminary descriptive results of IC research in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 319 patients, based on National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) criteria, were enrolled in the study from February 2004 through March 2006. Evaluation data included baseline demographic information, patient and family medical history, dietary effects, pregnancy data, sexual relationships with symptoms, and impact of symptoms on quality of life. The main responsibility of the hospitals discussed was patient care and data collection. Taichung Hospital presents the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Interstitial Cystitis Database (ICDB) patients were predominantly female, that is, 86% of the total, with an average enrollment age of 46. The analysis of various symptoms indicates the following distribution: (i) 94% frequency; (ii) 80% pain; (iii) 53% nocturia; (iv) 43% urgency; and (v) 10% associated incontinence. Approximately 83% reported pain over the bladder while in full stage, and 74% reported pain relief after voiding. The predominant characteristic of pain was full sensation (54%) with the predominant position on low abdominal area (52%). Moreover, 80% reported sleeping disturbance due to disease, and 66% reported difficulty in performing daily work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interstitial cystitis patients in Taiwan have lower economic status but lower impact on QOL than Western patients. However, the sexual-related pain and sleeping disorder were higher than previously thought and deserve our attention. Accordingly, this research provides a foundation for further investigations of baseline associations and longitudinal trends.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Fong-Yuan Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Healthcare Administration, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Huei
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Alex Tong-Long
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hann-Chorng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Healthcare Administration, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: epidemiology; interstitial cystitis; quality of life