Treatment effect of cyclosporine A in patients with painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis: A systematic review

Cyclosporine A (CyA) is emerging as a potential therapeutic strategy for painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC), which is currently an incurable disease. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the treatment effects of CyA in PBS/IC. Electronic and manual retrieval procedures were carried out to identify eligible references for the systematic review. The entire contents of the included articles were assessed, from study design to reported results. Eight studies, comprising three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), four prospective studies and one retrospective cohort study, were included, involving a total of 298 subjects. Meta-analysis was not implemented due to heterogeneity of the manner of reporting the outcome parameters. All studies reported an improvement in symptoms following treatment with CyA. The results of the three RCTs implied that the treatment effects of CyA were better than those of pentosan polysulfate sodium. Some adverse events, for example, elevation of serum creatinine levels and an increase in blood pressure, were noted in five studies. In conclusion, the evidence from the studies implied that treatment of CyA can result in a long-term benefit in patients of PBS/IC; however, further evidence is required to verify this.