Investigation of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Patients Diagnosed With Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is a non-bacterial chronic inflammatory disease of the bladder characterized by lower urinary tract symptoms such as dysuria, irritating urgency, and nocturia, as well as pelvic pain associated with bladder filling.

The International Continence Society (ICS) defines bladder pain syndrome as "a complaint of suprapubic pain due to bladder filling accompanied by urinary system symptoms such as increased daytime and nighttime urinary frequency as a result of the exclusion of proven urinary infection or other obvious pathologies." Acupuncture is an important treatment method of traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for more than 2500 years and is performed by placing needles at specific points on the skin.

In the literature, clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in Interstitial Cystitis and its effectiveness in relieving symptoms has been demonstrated. In the light of these data, our aim in our multi-centered study is to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life in patients diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis.

In our study, patients who applied to the Urology Clinic between 01.02.2024 and 01.07.2024 with pelvic pain or discomfort lasting more than 6 months and lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequent urination, dysuria and nocturia will be examined and evaluated with suspicion of Interstitial Cystitis diagnosis.

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Key information

Conditions

Interstitial Cystitis Bladder Pain Syndrome Cystitis Cystitis, Interstitial Female Urogenital Diseases Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Male Urogenital Diseases Urinary Bladder Diseases Urogenital Diseases Urologic Diseases

Age range

30 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

istanbul Çam Sakura city hospital

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

who diagnosed IC/BPS
between 30-65 years old
female

Exclusion criteria

Patients who do not meet the IC/BPS diagnostic criteria,
who have previously received acupuncture treatment,
who have localized skin infections involving the acupuncture areas,
who have bleeding diathesis and who use anticoagulant drugs,
who cannot comply with the treatment and follow-up schedule will not be included in the study.

Treatment and study plan

Acupuncture

Other

Acupuncture application will be performed by bilateral needling of The Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yin Ling Quan (SP9), Zu San Li, "Leg Three Mile" (ST36) , Tai Chong (LIV3), Hegu (LI4), Taixi (KID3) , Zhongliao (BL33) and Guan Yuan (CV4) acupuncture points using sterile, disposable metal acupuncture needles. The needles will remain in place for approximately 20 minutes during the treatment, a total of 8 sessions are planned, 2 per week.

Primary outcomes

O'Leary-Saint symptom score

Time frame: 1. 6. ve 12. month

The O'Leary-Saint symptom score is also known as the Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI). That assesses the 4 core symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis (bladder pain, urgency, frequent urination, and nocturia) by asking the patient how often each is experienced. In this evaluation, the patient is asked to rate the 4 basic symptoms in the Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index from 0 to 5, according to the patient's complaint, and the 4 basic problems in the Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index from 0 to 4.The goal of this instrument is to evaluate and diagnose patients with IC. The O'Leary-Sant instrument is comprised of a Symptom Index (score range: 0-20 points) and a Problem Index (score range: 0-16 points), each of which contains four questions related to urinary and pain symptoms. For each index, the score is calculated by summing the points for each item. On either index, a score ≥6 points indicates Interstitial Cystitis.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Medipol University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Acupuncture In Patients Diagnosed With Treatment-resistant Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jan 30, 2024
Registry last updated: Jun 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

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