Childhood Symptoms and Events in Women With Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome

Objectives

To explore the prevalence of recurrent urinary tract infection and elimination difficulties experienced in childhood and adolescence in adult women with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) and community controls. The relationship between dysfunctional voiding and bowel symptoms in early life and the development of IC/PBS is not clear.

Methods

A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 406 women with IC/PBS (patients) and 5000 community-dwelling controls. The demographic, personal, and family health history data and the urinary and bowel symptoms experienced in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood were collected. The data were analyzed using the Student t test and multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 215 patients (53%) and 823 controls (16%) returned the questionnaires (controls with a previous IC/PBS diagnosis or not meeting the inclusion criteria for either group were excluded from analysis). The 215 patients, 126 controls reporting IC/PBS symptoms but no diagnosis, and 464 asymptomatic controls were compared regarding symptoms and events experienced in childhood and adolescence. Statistically significant differences were seen among the groups for recurrent urinary tract infection (P < .0001) and frequent antibiotic use (P < .0001) in childhood and for all symptoms in childhood and adolescence, including trouble starting the urinary stream (P < .0001 for both), urgency (P < .0001 for both), retention (P = .0038 and P < .0001, respectively), constipation (P = .0006 and P = .0001, respectively), and painful defecation (P < .0001 for both). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed statistically significant differences between the patients and asymptomatic controls in childhood bladder infections (P = .006) and urinary urgency (P = .001) in adolescence.

Conclusions

These results support the need for longitudinal prospective assessment of children with dysfunctional elimination symptoms to determine whether these symptoms progress to IC/PBS. Additional research will contribute to our understanding of the natural history of IC/PBS, promote its earlier diagnosis, and potentially prevent disease progression.