PURPOSE: To determine whether @entity2336 syndrome/ @entity2335 (BPS/ @entity2337 ) has the characteristics of a @entity2531 ( @entity2531 ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: There is no accepted definition of an @entity2531 . Consequently, this paper reviewed the literature for common @entity2531 characteristics and for reports that BPS/ @entity2337 has these characteristics. RESULTS: Eleven articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria and yielded 18 @entity2531 characteristics. BPS/ @entity2337 @entity1 manifest all but two: the exceptions were normal light microscopic anatomy (after hydrodistention under anesthesia, some BPS/ @entity2337 bladders have @entity75 and most have @entity548 ) and normal laboratory tests (many BPS/ @entity2337 @entity1 have @entity811 ). @entity548 and @entity811 are probably related and may appear during naturally-occurring @entity1494 . Without such distention, then, the 90% of BPS/ @entity2337 @entity1 without a @entity75 have all the characteristics of an @entity2531 . Comparisons in the opposite direction were consistent: several additional features of BPS/ @entity2337 were found in FSSs. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic but untested method is consistent with but does not test the hypothesis that BPS/ @entity2337 in some @entity1 might best be understood as an @entity2531 . Like most conditions, BPS/ @entity2337 is probably heterogeneous; hence only a proportion of BPS/ @entity2337 cases are likely to be manifestations of an @entity2531 . This hypothesis has several implications. Explorations of processes that connect the FSSs might contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of BPS/ @entity2337 . @entity1 with FSSs are at risk for BPS/ @entity2337 and may benefit from future preventive strategies. Therapies that are useful in FSSs also may be useful in some cases of BPS/ @entity2337 .

@entity2336 syndrome/ @entity2335 as a XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients'] @entity548 :: ('MESH:D006470', 'Disease') :: ['Petechial hemorrhages', 'petechial hemorrhages'] @entity2337 :: ('MESH:C537984', 'Disease') :: ['IC'] @entity75 :: ('MESH:D001927', 'Disease') :: ["Hunner's lesions", "Hunner's lesion"] @entity1494 :: ('MESH:D001745', 'Disease') :: ['bladder distention'] @entity2336 :: ('MESH:D018856', 'Disease') :: ['bladder pain'] @entity2531 :: ('MESH:D013001', 'Disease') :: ['FSS', 'functional somatic syndrome'] @entity811 :: ('MESH:D006417', 'Disease') :: ['hematuria'] @entity2335 :: ('MESH:D003556', 'Disease') :: ['interstitial cystitis']
@entity2531 :: (MESH:D013001,Disease) :: ['functional somatic syndrome']
