HMW-HA was significantly superior in cost effectiveness and cost efficacy to all other instillation regimes .
Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis ( BPS/IC ) is a chronic disease characterised by persistent irritating micturition symptoms and pain .
The objective was to compare the clinical efficacy of currently available products for intravesical therapy of BPS/IC and to assess their pharmacoeconomic impact .
Do cystometric findings predict the results of intravesical hyaluronic acid in women with interstitial cystitis?
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES According to National Institute of Health ( NIH ) criteria , a bladder capacity of less than 350 cc is an automatic exclusion for a diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis ( IC ) . In the present study , patients , showing symptoms of IC and with bladder capacities of < 350 and > /=350 cc were tested as to their response to a intravesical hyaluronic acid therapy . METHODS The study included 48 patients with clinical symptoms of IC and a positive 0.4 M potassium sensitivity test .  Maximum bladder capacity ( C(max ) ) was assessed for the 0.9 % NaCl solution first and then for the 0.2 M KCl solution . After the NaCl cystometry , patients were separated into two groups : Group I with a C(max ) of < 350 cc and Group II with a C(max ) of > /=350 cc . Both groups were again separated in two further groups as to the respective percentage reduction of C(max ) with the 0.2 M KCl solution : Group Ia/IIa ( > /=30 % ) and Group Ib/IIb ( < 30 % ) . Patients were treated with weekly instillations of 40 mg hyaluronic acid for 10 consecutive weeks . Pre- and post-treatment bladder symptoms were evaluated through their visual analog scale ( VAS ) scores . RESULTS With the saline solution , 32 patients had a C(max ) of < 350 cc ( Group I ) , while 16 patients had a C(max ) of > /=350 cc ( Group II ) . Evaluation of VAS scores confirmed a positive response , i.e. symptom relief , to hyaluronic acid therapy , irrespective of bladder capacity . The improvement was particularly evident in patients with a C(max ) reduction of > /=30 % versus those with a reduction of < 30 % with the 0.2 M KCl solution ( p=0.003 ) . CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates that patients with typical IC symptoms and a cystometric bladder capacity of > /=350 cc , may have increased potassium sensitivity as a sign of IC and show symptom improvement after hyaluronic acid instillation therapy
HMW-HA was significantly superior in cost effectiveness and cost efficacy to all other instillation regimes .
Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis ( BPS/IC ) is a chronic disease characterised by persistent irritating micturition symptoms and pain .
The objective was to compare the clinical efficacy of currently available products for intravesical therapy of BPS/IC and to assess their pharmacoeconomic impact .