IS THE DIET OF PATIENTS WITH INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS RELATED TO THEIR DISEASE

Objective: The dietary habits of interstitial cystitis (IC) patients c ompared to the average food and fluid consumption of the general popul ation were evaluated and any spontaneous preference or avoidance of sp ecific foodstuffs and fluids of IC patients was investigated. Methods: A verbal interview with 16 IC patients provided information on the co nsumption of foodstuffs and fluids as well as dietary habits. Prior to the dietary interview none of the IC patients were aware of any possi ble dietary measures in relation to their IC symptoms. The results wer e compared to the averages of the general population. Results: IC pati ents consumed statistically significantly less calories and fat (p < 0 .05), and statistically significantly more fibers (p < 0.01) than the general population. Among the IC patients there were significantly few er consumers of coffee (p < 0.01) and significantly more consumers of (herbal) tea (p < 0.05). The difference in orange juice consumption wa s not significant. Conclusions: According to general standards, IC pat ients had a more healthy daily diet than the general population. The o bservation that IC patients consumed less coffee (caffeine) than the g eneral population is consistent with previous reports on irritative IC symptoms exacerbating after caffeine consumption. No rationale for ot her dietary or fluid intake changes was found.