Millions of Men, Women & Children Suffer From IC

Prevalence Studies

IC/BPS affects millions of men and women around the world. In the USA alone, the impact of IC is profound. Two RAND prevalence studies (1,2) found that:

3.2 to 7.9 million women
(2.7 to 6.5% of all women)

1 to 4 million men* have symptoms of IC

*Researchers suspect that many more men may have IC but have been incorrectly diagnosed with chronic prostatitis.

What else have we learned about IC?

Quite a few epidemiological studies have been done over the years.(3-7) They have found that:

  • An estimated 79% of IC patients may struggle with IBS.
  • The average age of onset for IC is 40 years, with 25% of patients under the age of 30. A late deterioration of symptoms is unusual.
  • Up to 50% of patients experience spontaneous remissions probably unrelated to treatment, with a duration ranging from 1 to 80 months.
  • Patients with IC are 10 to 12 times more likely to report childhood bladder problems.
  • Patients with IC are twice as likely report a history of urinary tract infection; however, over half of all IC patients report fewer than one such infection per year before the onset of IC.
  • 50% of IC patients have pain while riding in car.
  • 63% of IC patients are unable to work full time.
  • IC patients have suicidal thoughts 3-4 times above the national average.
  • The quality of life of IC patients is worse than patients experiencing chronic renal failure and undergoing dialysis.
  • 52% of women with IC reported panic attacks and over 30% reported depression.
  • IC patients pay twice as much out of pocket for direct medical care when compared with someone without the condition.

References

1. Berry, et al. Prevalence of Symptoms of Bladder Pain Syndrome in Adult Females in the US. J Urol, v. 186, no. 2, Aug. 2011, p. 540-544
2. Suskind, A., et al. The Prevalence and Overlap of IC/BPS and CP/CPOS in Men. The J Urol, v. 189, no. 1, Jan. 2013, p. 141-1455. Bullones Rodriguez, MA, et al. Evidence for overlap between urological and nonurological unexplained clinical conditions. J Urol. 2013 Jan;189(1 Suppl):S66-74.
3. Oravisto KJ. Epidemiology of interstitial cystitis. Ann Chir Gynaecol Fenniae 1975;64:75-77 7.
4. Held PJ, Hanno PM, Wein AJ, et al. Epidemiology of interstitial cystitis. In Hanno PM, Stasking DR, Krane RJ, Wein AJ (Eds.) Interstitial Cystitis. London: Springer Verlag, 1990;29-48 8.
5. Ho N, Koziol J, Parsons CL. Epidemiology of Interstitial Cystitis, in G. Sant (Ed.), Interstitial Cystitis.Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1997; 9-15 9.
6. Watkins K, et al. Depressive Disorders and Panic Attacks in Women with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: A Population-Based Sample. General Hospital Psychiatry, v. 33, no. 2, Mar.-Apr. 2011, p. 143-149
7. Clemens JQ, et al. Urologic Diseases In America / Edited By Litwin and Saigal (Washington, D.C. : US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health, NIH, NIDDK, 2007), Chapter 4, p. 125-154, NIH Pub. no. 07-5512