The Department of Urology at the University of Oklahoma has a 7-year history of collaborative multicenter research on the correlation of biochemical and clinical features of interstitial cystitis and the testing of new drug therapies. Within the Department are strong programs in all areas of clinical urology, including oncology, andrology, female urology and urodynamics, the basic sciences, emphasizing immunology, molecular oncology and biology, and cellular disease markers. Strong links with epidemiology and pathology have allowed us to be a leader in several areas of research. We maintain an active specimen collection and storage system for urines and other specimens collected from interstitial cystitis patients using standardized, quality-controlled procedures and a patient database and have a followup mechanism for tracking patients. The Department has a comprehensive residency training program. An informal regional network of community and academic urologists has also been developed to help meet patient needs for improved diagnostic and clinical care and for support as well as to recruit patients for specialized studies and experimental treatment protocols. Routine care is provided by community urologists or other physicians while Dr. Roy provides certain specialized services and experimental treatment protocols. The Department has drawn its patient base predominately from Oklahoma and neighboring states, a population base of 32.2 million, containing an estimated 5-6,000 undiagnosed interstitial cystitis patients with an estimated yearly incidence of roughly 200 patients. The largest out-of-state component being from Texas. Patients have come from as far as Michigan and Montana. The University of Oklahoma Department of Urology clearly meets the criteria for a clinical center. In order to meet the overall programmatic objectives, our specific objectives for the overall collaborative program: (1). Expand and further formalize the current informal network of community and academic urologists in the region to ensure standardized collection of data and specimens as well as long-term followup and to aid collaborating urologists who are responsible for routine care of patients to provide the best care based upon the latest findings of the clinical centers. (2) Expand current database and sample collection and storage programs in conjunction with other centers. (3) Expand clinical services offered to interstitial cystitis patients to include bladder retraining and reference to a university pain clinic, both to provide better services to patients while facilitating patient participation in research studies. (4) Recruit 50 patients the first year and 75 per year thereafter. (5) Present an annual seminal for physicians and workshop for patients as a means of educating physicians and the public about interstitial cystitis and reaching patients.
| Leiby, Benjamin E; Landis, J Richard; Propert, Kathleen J et al. (2007) Discovery of morphological subgroups that correlate with severity of symptoms in interstitial cystitis: a proposed biopsy classification system. J Urol 177:142-8 |
| FitzGerald, M P; Brensinger, C; Brubaker, L et al. (2006) What is the pain of interstitial cystitis like? Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 17:69-72 |
| Tomaszewski, J E; Landis, J R; Russack, V et al. (2001) Biopsy features are associated with primary symptoms in interstitial cystitis: results from the interstitial cystitis database study. Urology 57:67-81 |
