OBJECTIVE: To perform a cytologic examination of urine from patients w
ith interstitial cystitis (IC). STUDY DESIGN: Patients included in thi
s study fit the definition of IC established by the National Institute
of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Cytologic mate
rial was identified by checking the pathology archives against medical
record numbers of patients with biopsy-confirmed IC. Cytologic prepar
ations included cytocentrifuge samples and filters. Representative mat
erial was submitted for toluidine blue staining. RESULTS: Thirty-three
urine specimens from 14 patients with IC were included in the study.
All urines showed acute inflammation, predominantly polymorphonuclear
cells. Fourteen (42%) specimens contained eosinophils, and 10 (30%) co
ntained cells resembling mast cells. Other findings included numerous
degenerated cells, reactive transitional cells and hematuria. Toluidin
e blue staining of urine cytocentrifuge samples failed to demonstrate
metachromatic staining of the presumed mast cells. DISCUSSION: Cytolog
ic examination of urine from patients with IC showed consistent but no
netheless non-specific findings. The predominant characteristic was th
e presence of inflammatory cells, mostly neutrophils and occasionally
eosinophils.