A placebo-controlled study of intravesical pentosanpolysulphate for the treatment of interstitial cystitis

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intravesical pentosanpolysulphate (PPS) compared with placebo in patients with interstitial cystitis (IC). Patients and methods Twenty patients who fullfilled the diagnostic criteria for IC participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled study; 10 received intravesical PPS (300 mg in 50 mt of 0.9% sodium chloride) applied twice a week for 3 months and the other 10 received a placebo, Symptomatic relief and objective variables (bladder capacity voiding volumes and urinary frequency) were assessed after 3 months and the long-term outcome of those continuing treatment was determined. Results Of the patients treated with PPS, four gained significant symptomatic relief compared with only two receiving placebo. Only the urodynamic bladder capacity showed a statistically significant increase in patients treated with PPS (P=0.047), At 18 months from the start of the study, the symptoms were relieved in eight patients while still receiving PPS instillations and in four without treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that intravesical PPS is an effective option for the treatment of IC and shows that the intravesical application of PPS is a safe treatment with no important side-effects.