Why has so little progress been made after decades of research in Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis (BPS/IC)? Many hundreds of research projects costing tens of millions of dollars have come and gone but patient care is little improved. We argue that the mistake has been in creating a large group of patients with similar symptoms but nothing else in common. This workshop will present clear patient phenotypes appropriate for research and for specific clinical pathways.
Learning Objectives - 1. To identify Hunner Lesion/Ulcerative Interstitial Cystitis as a separate identifiable disease.
2. To identify specific clinical features of patients with Bladder Pain Syndrome which suggest a phenotype that may respond differently to treatment.
3. To understand the significance of central sensitisation and multiple CS manifestations in the same patient.
4. To critically read the literature to determine if models used in studying BPS/IC are appropriate for the patient groups seen in practice.
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