Quality of Life Analysis in Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: Implications for a Multimodal Integrated Treatment

The survey included 69 patients, 42 patients had a diagnosis of Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis while 27 of them had chronic non-neoplastic pain. The comparison of the total values of the PHQ-9 between the two groups, 1 versus 2, in relation to final score of PHQ-9, the average PHQ-9 score was 10.3 in group 1, therefore a value greater than 9, considered as major depression (score between 10 and 14); the average score of PHQ-9 was 6.9 in group 2, as in sub-threshold depression (between 5-9). Correlation between PHQ-9 and BPI was also evaluated, the relation was significant only in interstitial cystitis with regard to the following spheres: daily life, work activity, pleasure of life, mood, sleep quality, pain intensity, and urinary symptoms. Based on these data, when PHQ-9 score increases, and depressive symptoms worsen, there is interference with daily life and work activity, pleasure of living, mood, quality of sleep, perception of intensity of pain and urinary symptoms. Patients who had onset of psychiatric symptoms following diagnosis (both interstitial cystitis and other painful syndromes) had an average PHQ-9 score of 11.7 compared to the score of 8.3 of patients without onset of psychiatric symptoms after diagnosis (p = 0.0464), so it may be that depressive symptoms starting after the diagnosis of pain syndrome are more severe. Women who undergo psychiatric-psychological consultation and therapy have an average O'Leary score 20.4 compared to 25.8 in those who are not under psychiatric consultation (p = 0.0418). This emphasizes how psychosocial support can improve perception of pain and urinary symptoms.