The Prevalence and Overlap of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome and Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Men: Results of the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology Male Study

• Published in: The Journal of urology Vol. 189; no. 1; pp. 141 - 145
• Main Authors: Suskind, Anne M, Berry, Sandra H, Ewing, Brett A, Elliott, Marc N, Suttorp, Marika J, Clemens, J. Quentin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; cystitis, interstitial; Cystitis, Interstitial - complications; Cystitis, Interstitial - epidemiology; epidemiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; men; Middle Aged; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Prevalence; prostatitis; Prostatitis - complications; Prostatitis - epidemiology; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Urology; Young Adult; epidemiology; Current Population Survey; cystitis, interstitial; prostatitis; men; chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome; CPS; IC/BPS; CP/CPPS; interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome; Human; Nephrology; Urinary system disease; Prevalence; Prostate disease; Male; Urinary tract disease; Pelvic pain; Epidemiology; Syndrome; Urology; Chronic; Pain; Urinary system; Urinary bladder; Adult; Interstitial; Prostatitis; cystitis; Male genital diseases; Interstitial cystitis
• DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2012.08.088
• ISSN: 0022-5347; 1527-3792

Purpose As part of the RICE (RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology) study, we developed validated case definitions to identify interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in women and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men. Using population based screening methods, we applied these case definitions to determine the prevalence of these conditions in men. Materials and Methods A total of 6,072 households were contacted by telephone to screen for men who had symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome or chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. An initial 296 men screened positive, of whom 149 met the inclusionary criteria and completed the telephone interview. For interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome 2 case definitions were applied (1 with high sensitivity and 1 with high specificity), while for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome a single case definition (with high sensitivity and specificity) was used. These case definitions were used to classify subjects into groups based on diagnosis. Results The interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome weighted prevalence estimates for the high sensitivity and high specificity definitions were 4.2% (3.1–5.3) and 1.9% (1.1–2.7), respectively. The chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome weighted prevalence estimate was 1.8% (0.9–2.7). These values equate to 1,986,972 (95% CI 966,042–2,996,924) men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and 2,107,727 (95% CI 1,240,485–2,974,969) men with the high specificity definition of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in the United States. The overlap between men who met the high specificity interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome case definition or the chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome case definition was 17%. Conclusions Symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome are widespread among men in the United States. The prevalence of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome symptoms in men approaches that in women, suggesting that this condition may be underdiagnosed in the male population.