Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is a poorly understood yet prevalent condition accounting for a significant proportion of urology office visits. Identification of reliable biomarkers for disease remains an important yet challenging area of research given the heterogeneity of disease presentation and pathophysiology. A review of the literature by the authors revealed a handful of original investigations that revealed promising biomarkers within various physiologic processes or organ systems including immunity, inflammation, neural pathways, urothelial integrity, and anesthetic bladder capacity. Although no perfect biomarker has yet been identified for IC/BPS, research in this area has greatly expanded our understanding of disease.
The Urologic clinics of North America. 2023 Feb [Epub]
John M Masterson, Peris R Castañeda, Jayoung Kim
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA., Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Division of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8635 W 3rd St #930E, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA. Electronic address: .