The following is a summary of “Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria in Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: Insights From Big Data Analyses,” published in the JANUARY 2023 issue of Urology by Anis, et al. 

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the Clalit Health Services medical database to investigate the potential association between chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). 

The study included 681 IC/BPS patients and 3,376 demographically matched controls, and the prevalence of CSU was compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square and Student t-test, while multivariable analysis was conducted using a logistic regression model. The mean age of IC/BPS patients was 60 years old.

The results showed that the prevalence of CSU was higher in patients with IC/BPS compared to the control group (20% vs 13.7%; P <.001). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the odds ratio (OR) for CSU in patients with IC/BPS was 1.58 (95% CI 1.28-1.97). Furthermore, female gender and Jewish ethnicity were associated with the coexistence of these disorders (OR 1.7 95% CI 1.36-2.13, and 1.6 95% CI 1.28-2, respectively).

The findings suggested a significant association between IC/BPS and CSU, which may support the presence of allergic/immune components in the pathogenesis of IC/BPS. However, further research was needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of this association and to determine if treatment of CSU may also benefit patients with IC/BPS.

Reference: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(22)00906-2/fulltext