Treatment of IC with Cyclosporine

[MastCells]

J Urol. 2004 Jun

LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS TREATED WITH LOW DOSE CYCLOSPORINE A.

Sairanen J, Forsell T, Ruutu M.

Department of Urology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki (JS, MR), Department of Surgery, Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, Kotka (TF), and Department of Surgery, Paijat-Hame Central Hospital, Lahti (JS), Finland.

PURPOSE:: We evaluated patients with interstitial cystitis who had been on cyclosporine A treatment for at least a year. Symptom improvement on micturition charts and subjective expression of bladder pain were recorded. Side effects and safety of medication were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: A total of 23 patients (20 females and 3 males) fulfilling National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases criteria of interstitial cystitis were included in this study. Age of patients at followup was 65.7 +/- 7.6 years (mean +/- SD). Mean followup was 60.8 +/- 35.7 months. Before starting cyclosporine A treatment multiple first line therapies had been tried without clinical help. RESULTS:: The number of voidings in 24 hours was 20.8 +/- 6.3 before treatment. After a year of cyclosporine A treatment it was decreased to 10.2 +/- 3.8 (p < 0.001). Maximal bladder capacity increased from 161.8 +/- 74.6 to 360.7 +/- 99.3 ml in a year (p < 0.001). Mean voided volume increased from 101.4 +/- 42.7 to 246.4 +/- 97.9 ml (p < 0.001). The effect was maintained throughout followup. Of 23 total patients 20 reported no bladder pain on cyclosporine A treatment and 11 patients stopped treatment due to a good clinical effect. In 9 patients symptoms recurred within months but disappeared again after cyclosporine A treatment was restarted. Side effects of medication were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS:: Cyclosporine A treatment was safe and effective in treating interstitial cystitis. The achieved therapeutic effect was maintained in the long term. Cessation of medication led to recurrence of symptoms in most cases.

PMID: 15126772 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[webslave]

More evidence that if you severely inhibit the immune system with immunosuppressive agents, you get improvement.

It's like killing mice with a shotgun

[james-d]

I agree - but at least it is a positive response - and that is encourageing - even if the methods are extreme -

I am a participant in an extreme method - that many think is over the top - but sometimes you do whatever works -

anyone have any info on "cyclosporine A"