Investigation of the hematological parameters in women with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome and their relationship with disease severity

Objective: Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) is an important public health problem that mainly affects middle-aged female patients. Diagnosis of IC/BPS is difficult as there is no disease-specific diagnostic test. Our study analyzed the hematological parameters in female patients with IC/BPS to determine whether these parameters could assist in diagnosing IC/BPS and investigate the relationship between these parameters and disease severity. Methods: Fifty female patients with IC/BPS (i.e., patient group) and 50 healthy volunteers (i.e., control group) with no systemic diseases or complaints were included. The patients' O'Leary Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) scores were recorded at diagnosis. Blood neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet counts, mean platelet volumes (MPV), neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratios (PLR) were recorded and calculated based on the complete blood count results obtained during the initial outpatient clinic encounters. Patients and healthy volunteers were compared regarding age, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet counts, and MPV, NLR, and PLR values. The correlation between laboratory parameters and ICSI levels of the cases in the patient group was also analyzed. Results: The demographic data of the groups were similar. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet counts, and MPV levels. On the other hand, the median NLR values were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (2.34 vs. 1.85, p<0.001). In the patient group, the lymphocyte count was significantly higher in the group with an ICSI score≥14 compared to the group with an ICSI score<14 (median, 1.90 vs. 1.62, p=0.009). Conclusion: Our study found that NLR was higher in IC/BPS patients than in healthy individuals and that lymphocyte counts might be associated with disease severity. Thus, hematological parameters can provide clinicians with valuable insights regarding IC/BPS disease severity and aid treatment planning.