Published in:
Open Access
15-02-2023 | Cystitis | BPS/INTERSTITIAL CYTITIS (D CASTRO-DIAZ AND Y IGAWA, SECTION EDITORS)
Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis
Authors:
Mohammad Sajjad Rahnama’i, Aida Javan Balegh Marand, Dick Janssen, Hadi Mostafaei, Sotirios Gatsos, Sakineh Hajebrahimi, Apostolos Apostolidis, Rajesh Taneja
Published in:
Current Bladder Dysfunction Reports
|
Issue 2/2023
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Abstract
Purpose of Review
Bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC) can also be classified as either non-ulcerative or ulcerative, corresponding to the characteristic cystoscopic findings under hydrodistention. Promising therapeutic effects, including decreased bladder pain, have been reported from recent clinical trials using botulinum toxin A (BoNTA) for the treatment of BPS/IC. This review summarizes the current state of the literature on the underlying mechanisms of BoNTA therapy in BPS/IC as well as new forms of its application.
Recent Findings
BoNTA has its effect in the central nervous system in the afferent nerves as well as in the bladder wall. Besides the well-known effects of BoNTA in the nervous system, pain control as well as reduction of urinary urgency in BPS patients could be achieved by mast cell stabilization effecting histamine release as well as modulation of TRPV and PGE2 pathways, among other systems. In addition, new forms of BoNTA administration have focused on intravesical instillation of the drug in order to circumvent bladder wall injections. Hyperthermia, intravesical hydrogel, and lysosomes have been studied as new ways of BoNTA application in BPS/IC patients. From the available studies, bladder instillation of BoNTA in combination with EMDA is the most promising and effective novel approach.
Summary
The most promising novel application methods for BoNTA in patient with BPS/IC are bladder instillations. Future research needs to point out if bladder instillations with BoNTA with some form of bladder absorption enhancement such as hyperthermia or EMDA would be able to replace BoNTA injections in patients with BPS/IC