FRIDAY, July 31, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS), the combination of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (LI-ESWT) shows therapeutic efficacy, according to a study recently published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.
Cheng-Yu Long, from Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan, and colleagues performed LI-ESWT once a week for eight weeks in 25 female patients diagnosed with IC/BPS. In weeks 1, 5, and 9, high-dosage PRP injections were administered. Baseline and one- and six-month posttreatment assessments were performed, including validated questionnaire and voiding diaries. At baseline and six-month follow-up, urodynamic studies were conducted.
The researchers identified an 80 percent efficacy rate. At the one-month follow-up, there were significant improvements in the visual analog scale, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, Urinary Distress Inventory-6, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System. At the six-month follow-up, there was only significant improvement on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire. Significant differences were seen in maximum cystometric capacity on examination of urodynamic parameters at six-month follow-up. Based on voiding diaries, at one-month follow-up, there was significant improvement in number of urinations, voided volume, and maximum volume; at six-month follow-up, only maximum volume showed significant improvement. At both one- and six-month follow-ups, there were significant differences seen in the Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index, Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index, and O'Leary-Sant Symptom Score.
"The combination of platelet-rich plasma and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy demonstrated promising short-term efficacy in patients with IC/BPS," the authors write.
