Clinical Significance of Potassium Sensitivity Test in Interstitial Cystitis

Kim, Hyun Hag; Kwon, Dong Deuk; Oh, Bong Ryul; Park, Kwang Sung; Ryu, Soo Bang; Park, Yang Il

Abstract

PURPOSE: We investigated the efficacy of potassium sensitivity test in 15 patients with interstitial cystitis diagnosed by the ICDB criteria, 10 normal controls and 5 patients with acute cystitis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The test involved eliciting responses in each subject to 40mL of plain water and then 40mL of potassium chloride solution (16 mEq). The subjects were asked to rate their subjective responses 2-4 minutes after instillation of the test solutions, the water and potassium. Their subjective responses were measured on a 5-point scale relative to pain and urgency.
RESULTS
Water did not provoke symptoms in all groups but KCl provoked 80% of interstitial cystitis patients, 10% of normals and 100% of acute cystitis patients.
CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that potassium sensitivity test provides a valuable research tool to separate interstitial cystitis with the epithelial dysfuction from other subsets of interstitial cystitis patients.