Estrogen and progesterone receptors in patients with bladder pain syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze if bladder mucosa of patients with bladder pain syndrome (BPS) have more estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) than the normal population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between July 2009 and December 2010, 15 female patients with chronic bladder pain syndrome and 10 female patients without bladder pain were enrolled in the present study. Three pieces of trigonal bladder mucosa were biopsied and sent for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor immunohistochemistry staining by the Benchmark automated machine. The results were reported as positive and negative and then compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Estrogen receptor was found in 14 out of 15 patients in the BPS group (93%) and in 7 out of 10 patients in the control group (70%). Progesterone receptor was found in 10 out of 15 patients in the BPS group (66.7%) and 5 out of 10 patients in the control group. Both were not significantly different with p = 0.267 and p = 0.678, respectively. CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that ER and PR might not play a role in the etiopathogenesis of BPS/IC. However other receptors should be further investigated about their role in this type of pain.