Interstitial Cystitis Study

The purpose of this study is to determine if having too many bacteria in the small intestine is related to interstitial cystitis (IC), and if treatment with a non-absorbable antibiotic called Xifaxan will help. A significant percent of people with IC also have gastrointestinal symptoms including bloating, gas, abdominal pain and change of bowel habits. Recent studies have shown that people who have these gastrointestinal symptoms frequently have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

You can be eligible for the IC study if a breath test that reflects bacterial overgrowth is positive.

To be eligible in this study you would need to have mild to moderately severe interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome as determined by a urologist. The IC needs to be active with symptoms of bladder or pelvic pain, urinary frequency and urgency.

The major conditions that would exclude you from participating in the study include having the following: urine infection within 6 weeks, cystoscopy with Hunner’s ulcers in the bladder, bladder stone, and implanted nerve stimulator that is activated. You would need to wait 4-6 weeks if you have had cystoscopy, infusion treatments, urethral dilatation, and antibiotics. Certain medicines would need to be withdrawn before the study starts.

This study would involve coming to Dr. Leonard Weinstock’s office in Creve Coeur for three visits over a period of two weeks. Two of these visits will take 3 hours each and would include filling out questionnaires, providing a urine sample, and a doing breath test. A 2-day voiding log (recording time and volume of urine voided) will be done at home on two occasions. Two sets of questionnaires will be filled out at home. Participants in the study will take the antibiotic Xifaxan or placebo for 10 days. The chances of getting the active medicine are two to one.

To see if you would be interested in participating in the study, please read the consent form and if you are interested, please call Michelle at 314-400-9912.
CONSENT FORM

CLOSE THIS WINDOW