Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the relationship between long term pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) use and macular disease through an international survey of individuals with interstitial cystitis.
Methods :
After Emory University Institutional Review Board approval, an online survey (surveygizmo, Boulder CO) was distributed via email to an international listserv of individuals with interstitial cystitis. The survey was conducted between November 23, 2018 through December 30, 2018. The survey consisted of 27 items. Respondents were divided into 2 groups: those with ≥12 years exposure to PPS and those with no prior exposure. Outcomes included: history of macular degeneration or pigmentary maculopathy, history of consultation with a retina specialist, and visual symptoms. Outcomes were assessed with multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results :
A total of 912 individuals completed the survey, representing a completion rate of 14%. The mean completion time was 8 minutes. Of all respondents, 141 (31%) reported PPS use for ≥12 years and 317 (69%) reported no prior PPS use. The mean (std dev) age was 58.6 (11.5) and 53.7 (14.7) for exposure vs. controls, respectively. Most (98%) were female and 426 (93%) identified as white. The daily dose of PPS ranged from 100mg to 500mg, with 57 (40%) indicating the standard daily dose of 300mg. Other covariates such as smoking, BMI, and liver, kidney, and splenic disease were not different between groups. There was no significant difference among groups in responses regarding difficulty reading in dim light and eyesight quality using both eyes (Table 1). Multivariate models for each outcome showed patients with ≥12 years of PPS use were more likely to have been seen by a retina specialist, to be diagnosed with macular degeneration, or to report a pigmentary maculopathy when controlled by age, BMI, and smoking status (Table 2).
Conclusions :
In this international survey of individuals with IC, those with long-term PPS use were significantly more likely to have seen a retina specialist and report a history of macular degeneration and pigmentary maculopathy than unexposed controls in the adjusted analysis. This limited survey did not elicit a significant difference in visual function among groups. Further study of objective measures of visual function and patient reported outcomes is warranted.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.