Influence of smoking, coffee, and tea consumption on bladder pain syndrome in female twins

Dietary Influence on Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) is a chronic condition characterized by discomfort or pain in the bladder region, often exacerbated by bladder filling and alleviated by voiding. Despite numerous theories regarding its etiology, the potential dietary influence on BPS symptoms has not been thoroughly elucidated. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the relationship between nutritional factors and the exacerbation or amelioration of BPS symptoms. An extensive search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar, to identify studies exploring the impact of diet on interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome(IC/BPS). Comparative analysis was employed to synthesize data from the selected studies, focusing on identifying corroborative and conflicting evidence regarding diet and IC/BPS. The analysis revealed recurring themes across the eight selected studies, including the association of certain foods and beverages with the worsening of IC/BPS symptoms. Patients frequently reported dietary sensitivities, particularly to acidic and spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol. Evidence from the studies suggests that dietary modifications, both self-directed and structured interventions, may improve symptom severity and overall patient quality of life. Additionally, tools developed and validated for assessing dietary sensitivities could facilitate better management of IC/BPS through personalized diet plans. The impact of individual substances such as caffeine and tea was underscored, indicating their potential as modifiable risk factors in IC/BPS symptomatology. The collective evidence from the reviewed studies confirms the importance of dietary influence on IC/BPS symptom management. An individualized approach to dietary counseling based on patient sensitivities could be beneficial. However, the diversity in study methodologies and outcomes indicates a need for more uniform research to establish standardized dietary guidelines for IC/BPS patients.

Lifestyle and behavioral modifications made by patients with interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) negatively affects the quality of life. In this study, we investigated the lifestyle behavioral changes patients with IC/BPS make to cope with their symptoms. This prospective study was conducted between August 2018 and June 2019. All patients had a primary symptom of suprapubic pain with a full bladder and other lower urinary tract symptoms for more than 6 weeks as well as cystoscopic findings. All participants completed our self-developed questionnaire, which included informations about their living and work environment, occupational garments, dietary habits, and personal habits. Continuous variables were compared using an independent sample t test, and categorical variables were compared using a chi-square test. We recruited 86 patients with IC/BPS and age-matched 86 controls without IC/BPS. In our study, patients with IC/BPS had more cranberry intake (45.34% vs. 5.81%, P < 0.05) than non-IC/BPS controls; the IC/BPS group had decreased consumption of coffee and spicy food; and wore less makeup or special work garments. In conclusion, patients with IC/BPS tend to make several lifestyle behavioral changes to cope with their symptoms.

National, regional, and global prevalence of cigarette smoking among women/females in the general population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

This systematic and meta-analysis review aimed to provide an updated estimate of the prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women, in geographic areas worldwide, and demonstrate a trend of the prevalence of smoking over time by using a cumulative meta-analysis.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published on the prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women. We searched PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, and Ovid from January 2010 to April 2020. The reference lists of the studies included in this review were also screened. Data were reviewed and extracted independently by two authors. A random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women. Sources of heterogeneity among the studies were determined using subgroup analysis and meta-regression.

Results

The pooled prevalence of ever and current cigarette smoking in women was 28% and 17%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of ever cigarette smoking in adolescent girls/students of the school, adult women, pregnant women, and women with the disease was 23%, 27%, 32%, and 38%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of ever cigarette smoking in the continents of Oceania, Asia, Europe, America, and Africa was 36%, 14%, 38%, 31%, and 32%, respectively.

Conclusions

The prevalence of cigarette smoking among women is very high, which is significant in all subgroups of adolescents, adults, and pregnant women. Therefore, it is necessary to design and implement appropriate educational programs for them, especially in schools, to reduce the side effects and prevalence of smoking among women.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-020-00924-y.

Effect of investigative laparoscopy on bladder pain syndrome: a prospective cohort trial

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Chronic pelvic pain is a debilitating condition, and establishing both an etiology and a successful management plan is challenging. Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is one such etiology, with some studies reporting a prevalence of up to 50% in women with chronic pelvic pain (Van De Merwe et al. Eur Urol 53: 60-67, 2008; Cervigni and Natale Int J Urol 21: 85-88, 2014). This study aimed to assess the impact that investigative laparoscopy with treatment of endometriosis has on bladder pain syndrome in women with and without endometriosis.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted with participants recruited from a tertiary gynecology unit and the private rooms of participating gynecologists. Women included were those scheduled for laparoscopy for investigation of pelvic pain of > 6 months, aged 18-40 years. Each patient completed a preoperative questionnaire, and a standardized study operative report was used to collect laparoscopy findings. Any endometriosis found was treated with excisional surgery. Patients were then reviewed with the same questionnaire at 3, 6 and 12 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 150 patients were included in the trial. Seventy-five percent of patients (n = 112/150) were diagnosed with endometriosis. Of them, 43% (n = 48/112) also had BPS. The overall BPS rate was 43% (n = 64/150). At 12 months, there was a significant reduction in overall pain and pelvic pain in all groups. Of the women with BPS, there was no difference in symptom score reduction between those with endometriosis treated and those without endometriosis. BPS resolved in 42% of women 12 months post-laparoscopy, regardless of whether endometriosis was diagnosed and treated or not. Of the women without BPS preoperatively, 14% developed de novo BPS at 12 months, regardless of whether endometriosis was diagnosed and treated or not.

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that BPS improves in the 12 months after investigative laparoscopy and treatment of endometriosis for chronic pelvic pain, regardless of presence or absence of endometriosis.

Health Education and Symptom Flare Management Using a Video-based m-Health System for Caring Women With IC/BPS

OBJECTIVE

To assess effectiveness of the video-based m-health system providing videos dictated by physicians for health education and symptom self-management for patients with Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).

METHODS

An m-health system was designed to provide videos for weekly health education and symptom flare self-management. O'Leary-Sant index and visual analogue scale as well as SF-36 health survey were administrated to evaluate the disease severity and quality of life (QoL), respectively. A total of 60 IC/BPS patients were recruited and randomly assigned to either control group (30 patients) or study group (30 patients) in sequence depending on their orders to visit our urological clinic. Patients in both control and study groups received regular treatments, while those in the study group received additional video-based intervention. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the outcomes between baseline and postintervention for both groups. The outcomes of video-based intervention were also compared with the text-based intervention conducted in our previous study.

RESULTS

After video-based intervention, patients in the study group exhibited significant effect manifested in all disease severity and QoL assessments except the pain visual analogue scale, while no significance was found in the control group. Moreover, the study group exhibited more significant net improvements than the control group in 7 SF-36 constructs, except the mental health. The limitations include short intervention duration (8 weeks) and different study periods between text-based and video-based interventions.

CONCLUSION

Video-based intervention is effective in improving the QoL of IC/BPS patients and outperforms the text-based intervention even in a short period of intervention.

Evidence of the Impact of Diet, Fluid Intake, Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Diet, fluid intake and caffeine, alcohol and tobacco use may have effects on lower urinary tract symptoms. Constructive changes in these modifiable nonurological factors are suggested to improve lower urinary tract symptoms. To better understand the relationship between nonurological factors and lower urinary tract symptoms, we performed a systematic literature review to examine, grade and summarize reported associations between lower urinary tract symptoms and diet, fluid intake and caffeine, tobacco and alcohol use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed PubMed® searches for eligible articles providing evidence on associations between 1 or more nonurological factors and lower urinary tract symptoms. A modified Oxford scale was used to grade the evidence.

RESULTS

We reviewed 111 articles addressing diet (28 studies), fluid intake (21) and caffeine (21), alcohol (26) and tobacco use (44). The evidence grade was generally low (6% level 1, 24% level 2, 11% level 3 and 59% level 4). Fluid intake and caffeine use were associated with urinary frequency and urgency in men and women. Modest alcohol use was associated with decreased likelihood of benign prostatic hyperplasia diagnosis and reduced lower urinary tract symptoms in men. Associations between lower urinary tract symptoms and ingestion of certain foods and tobacco were inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence of associations between lower urinary tract symptoms and diet, fluid intake and caffeine, alcohol and tobacco use is sparse and mostly observational. However, there is evidence of associations between increased fluid and caffeine intake and urinary frequency/urgency, and between modest alcohol intake and decreased benign prostatic hyperplasia diagnosis and lower urinary tract symptoms. Given the importance of these nonurological factors in daily life, and their perceived impact on lower urinary tract symptoms, higher quality evidence is needed.

Black Tea Source, Production, and Consumption: Assessment of Health Risks of Fluoride Intake in New Zealand

In countries with fluoridation of public water, it is imperative to determine other dietary sources of fluoride intake to reduce the public health risk of chronic exposure. New Zealand has one of the highest per capita consumption rates of black tea internationally and is one of the few countries to artificially fluoridate public water; yet no information is available to consumers on the fluoride levels in tea products. In this study, we determined the contribution of black tea as a source of dietary fluoride intake by measuring the fluoride content in 18 brands of commercially available products in New Zealand. Fluoride concentrations were measured by potentiometric method with a fluoride ion-selective electrode and the contribution of black tea to Adequate Intake (AI) and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) was calculated for a range of consumption scenarios. We examined factors that influence the fluoride content in manufactured tea and tea infusions, as well as temporal changes in fluoride exposure from black tea. We review the international evidence regarding chronic fluoride intake and its association with chronic pain, arthritic disease, and musculoskeletal disorders and provide insights into possible association between fluoride intake and the high prevalence of these disorders in New Zealand.

Complementary therapies for bladder pain syndrome: a systematic review

Introduction and hypothesis

Bladder pain syndrome is a difficult condition to treat. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of various complementary therapies available for treatment.

Methods

This review was conducted in adherence with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews. Citations were retrieved using a comprehensive database search (from inception to July 2014: CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Medline and SIGEL and grey literature). Studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. Eligibility consisted of women with bladder pain syndrome, an intervention of alternative/complementary therapies and an outcome of improvement of symptoms. Information regarding study characteristics and primary outcomes was collated. The Cochrane risk of bias scale was used to evaluate the quality of the studies included.

Results

A total of 1,454 citations were identified, 11 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (4 randomised control trials [RCTs] and 7 prospective studies). The key interventions studied were acupuncture, relaxation therapy, physical therapy, hydrogen-rich therapy, diet and nitric oxide synthetase.

Conclusion

Therapies with the potential for benefit in patients with bladder pain syndrome are dietary management, acupuncture and physical therapy. These findings were obtained from small studies and hence caution is advised. Robustly designed multicentre RCTs on these complementary therapies are needed to guide patients and clinicians.

Development and evaluation of an E-health system to care for patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis

OBJECTIVES

Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) is a chronic disease that highly degrades the quality of life for patients. In the present study, Internet intervention was used to care for bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis patients to alleviate their pain and bothering symptoms.

METHODS

Healthcare education was carried out through the Internet by asking the patients, who were randomly divided into study (40 patients) and control (40 patients) groups, to check possible sensitive foods, habits, and behaviors weekly to remind and consolidate important rules for promoting quality of life. The symptom flares consultation through short message service with the Internet used to elevate healthcare efficiency was undertaken. Questionnaires, including Short Form 36 health survey, O'Leary-Sant symptom and problem indices, as well as visual analog scales pain and urgency scales, were used to evaluate quality of life and disease severity improvements before and after information and communication technology intervention. The outcome was evaluated at week 8.

RESULTS

The quality of life of both the control and study groups was significantly improved. The quality of life and visual analog scales for the patients in the study group with information and communication technology intervention showed a much greater improvement compared with the patients in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The E-health system was shown to be effective in improving quality of life of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis patients through intervention of Internet healthcare education and short message service for the consolidation of healthy behavior and lifestyle in the 8-week follow up.

Urinary bladder distention evoked visceromotor responses as a model for bladder pain in mice

Approximately 3-8 million people in the United States suffer from interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a debilitating condition characterized by increased urgency and frequency of urination, as well as nocturia and general pelvic pain, especially upon bladder filling or voiding. Despite years of research, the cause of IC/BPS remains elusive and treatment strategies are unable to provide complete relief to patients. In order to study nervous system contributions to the condition, many animal models have been developed to mimic the pain and symptoms associated with IC/BPS. One such murine model is urinary bladder distension (UBD). In this model, compressed air of a specific pressure is delivered to the bladder of a lightly anesthetized animal over a set period of time. Throughout the procedure, wires in the superior oblique abdominal muscles record electrical activity from the muscle. This activity is known as the visceromotor response (VMR) and is a reliable and reproducible measure of nociception. Here, we describe the steps necessary to perform this technique in mice including surgical manipulations, physiological recording, and data analysis. With the use of this model, the coordination between primary sensory neurons, spinal cord secondary afferents, and higher central nervous system areas involved in bladder pain can be unraveled. This basic science knowledge can then be clinically translated to treat patients suffering from IC/BPS.

Complementary treatment in chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a case report study

INTRODUCTION

The use of traditional medicine has been emerged in the treatment of BPS (bladder pain syndrome) due to its high prevalence and expenses and its insufficient treatment by conventional therapies. Iranian traditional medicine has discussed such diseases. Considering the signs and symptoms of BPS and "reeh", the proposed mechanism of flatulency as casualty of recurrent circulating pains seems to be a proper diagnose. So, as a preliminary study the authors administered Horse Mint as one of effective traditional herbs on flatulent pain in a patient with BPS.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 60-year-old female was referred with the diagnosis of BPS. Six clinical visits with 2-week intervals were performed for patient, and the NIH-ICSI (National Institutes of Health Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index) was completed, which was used as a pretreatment symptom quantifier and post-treatment outcome tool. Horse mint (Mentha longifolia) was prescribed twice a day for 12 weeks.

DISCUSSION

Clinical visits showed alleviation of signs, symptoms, and changes in the patient's NIH-ICSI score, suggesting further studies on this field.

Impact of behaviour and lifestyle on bladder health

Bladder conditions, including UTI, UI, and bladder cancer, are highly prevalent and affect a wide range of populations. There are a variety of modifiable behavioral and lifestyle factors that influence bladder health. Some factors, such as smoking and obesity, increase the risk or severity of bladder conditions, whereas other factors, such as pelvic floor muscle exercise, are protective. Although clinical practice may be assumed to be the most appropriate ground for education on behavioral and lifestyle factors that influence bladder health, it is also crucial to extend these messages into the general population through public health interventions to reach those who have not yet developed bladder conditions and to maximize the prevention impact of these behaviors. Appropriate changes in these factors have the potential for an enormous impact on bladder health if implemented on a population-based level.

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: diagnosis and management

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a spectrum of urological symptoms characterised by bladder pain with typical cystoscopic features. Diagnosis and management of this syndrome may be difficult. There is no evidence-based management approach for the diagnosis or treatment of BPS. The objective of this study was to critically review and summarise the evidence relating to the diagnosis and treatment of the bladder pain syndrome.

METHODS

A review of published data on the diagnosis and treatment of the BPS was performed. Our search was limited to English-language articles, on the "diagnosis", and "management" or "treatment" of "interstitial cystitis" and the "bladder pain syndrome" in "humans."

RESULTS

Frequency, urgency and pain on bladder filling are the most common symptoms of BPS. All urodynamic volumes are reduced in patients with BPS. Associated conditions include psychological distress, depression, history of sexual assault, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. Cystoscopy remains the test for definitive diagnosis, with visualisation of haemorrhage on cystoreduction. A multidisciplinary treatment approach is essential in the management of this condition. Orally administered amitriptyline is an efficacious medical treatment for BPS. Intravesical hyaluronic acid and local anaesthetic, with/without hydrodistension are among new treatment strategies. Sacral or pudendal neuromodulation is effective, minimally invasive and safe. Surgery is reserved for refractory cases.

CONCLUSIONS

There remains a paucity of evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of BPS. We encountered significant heterogeneity in the assessment of symptoms, duration of treatment and follow up of patients in our literature review.

Polymorphism in the SCN9A voltage-gated sodium channel gene associated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether an association exists between interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the SCN9A voltage-gated sodium channel gene previously associated with other chronic pain syndromes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Germline deoxyribonucleic acid was sampled from archived bladder biopsy specimens from patients with a documented diagnosis of IC/BPS. Deoxyribonucleic acid from hysterectomy specimens was obtained as a control population. The genotype of single nucleotide polymorphism rs6746030 was determined by deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing after polymerase chain reaction amplification. Contingency analysis of genotypes was performed using Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Polymerase chain reaction product was obtained from 26 of 31 control specimens and from 53 of 57 IC/BPS biopsy specimens. Of the 26 control subjects, 3 (11.5%) were genotype AG and 23 were GG. In contrast, AA or AG genotypes were present in 21 of 53 (39.6%) patients with IC/BPS, a statistically significant difference compared with the controls (Pearson's chi-square, P=.036). Similarly, the A allele was at a greater frequency in the IC/BPS group using Fisher's exact test (P=.009).

CONCLUSION

These data strongly suggest that pain perception in at least a subset of patients with IC/BPS is influenced by this polymorphism in the SCN9A voltage-gated sodium channel.