Are Mast Cells still good Biomarkers for Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis?

Einleitung: The hallmark of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is urgency and of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) pain accompanied by a persistent urge to void or urinary frequency, but overlapping symptoms complicate clinical diagnosis. European Society for the Study of Interstitial Cystitis (ESSIC) guidelines require > 28 mast cells in 1 mm2 detrusor muscle as a diagnostic histological criterion for BPS/IC. This study provides a comparative assessment of mast cell counts, distribution, and activation in bladder biopsies of 12 BPS/IC with Hunner's lesions, 19 BPS/IC without Hunner's lesions,…