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Department of Urology
University of Washington | School of Medicine
Department of Urology

The Painful Bladder Study

Woman in pain with hands on faceDo you have painful bladder symptoms and can’t seem to get relief?

You’re invited to help answer important questions about Painful Bladder Syndrome and Interstitial Cystitis

The Painful Bladder Study is a multi-center study for men and women who have painful bladder symptoms. The Urology Clinic at the University of Washington is one of 10 centers where this national study is being done. The study is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [NIDDK] of the National Institutes of Health [NIH]. NIH is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Did you know…

  • Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic, painful, inflammatory condition of the bladder wall
  • Painful bladder syndrome (PBS) is pain in the pubic area when the bladder is full
  • According to the NIDDK, about 10 million people in the U.S. have IC or PBS
  • These conditions affect both men and women of any race or age; they are more common in women
  • The cause(s) of these conditions are not known, and currently there is no permanent cure; treatment is mostly experimental and aimed to treat the bothersome symptoms
  • Treatments for people with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome are not very effective

You may qualify for this study if you:

  • are 18 years of age or older
  • have increased daytime and nighttime urinary frequency (have to urinate more often than normal)
  • have lower abdominal/pelvic pain that occurs when your bladder gets full
  • do not currently have a urinary tract infection

If you qualify for this study, you will be asked to:

  • come to 5 clinic appointments over 12-14 weeks
  • take a daily medication
  • follow an educational/lifestyle program

All visits, medications, and blood and urine tests are provided at no cost to you or your health insurance provider. You will be paid $50.00 per clinic visit.

For more information about the study, please contact:
Sharon Downing, RN at (206) 598-0850

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH NETWORK (ICCRN)
Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) #1: A Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Amitriptyline for the Treatment of Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS) in Newly Diagnosed Patients

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