Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) remains a mysterious and intricate urological disorder, presenting significant challenges to healthcare providers. Traditional guidelines for IC/BPS follow a hierarchical model based on symptom severity, advocating for conservative interventions as the initial step, followed by oral pharmacotherapy, intravesical treatments, and, in refractory cases, invasive surgical procedures. This approach embraces a multi-tiered strategy. However, the evolving understanding that IC/BPS represents a paroxysmal chronic pain syndrome, often involving extravesical manifestations and different subtypes, calls for a departure from this uniform approach. This review provides insights into recent advancements in experimental strategies in animal models and human studies. The identified therapeutic approaches fall into four categories: (i) anti-inflammation and anti-angiogenesis using monoclonal antibodies or immune modulation, (ii) regenerative medicine, including stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy, (iii) drug delivery systems leveraging nanotechnology, and (iv) drug delivery systems assisted by energy devices. Future investigations will require a broader range of animal models, studies on human bladder tissues, and well-designed clinical trials to establish the efficacy and safety of these therapeutic interventions.
International journal of molecular sciences. 2024 Jul 23*** epublish ***
Ju-Chuan Hu, Hong-Tai Tzeng, Wei-Chia Lee, Jian-Ri Li, Yao-Chi Chuang
Department of Urology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan., Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan., Division of Urology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan.