Table A5.
Table with studies’ findings and limitations.
| Title | VEGF/VEGF-R1 Levels in Groups | VEGF/VEGF-R1 Levels’ Relations with Symptoms | Questionnaire Scores | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of novel non-invasive biomarkers of urinary chronic pelvic pain syndrome: findings from the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network | VEGF concentration: Females: (mean UCPPS = 3.72, mean HC = 3.46; p = 0.0076) Males: (mean UCPPS = 1.78, mean HC = 0.98, p < 0.0001) VEGF-R1 concentration: Males: (mean UCPPS = −0.33, mean HC = −1.25, p = 0.004) |
Relation between VEGF concentrations and Pain severity: Females: β = 1.280, p = 0.0127; Males: β = −0.692, p = 0.0627 Urinary severity: Females: β = 1.125, p = 0.0378; Males: β = −1.070, p = 0.0126 Relation between VEGF-R1 concentrations and Pain severity: Females: β = 0.366, p = 0.2198; Males: β = −0.257, p = 0.2638 Urinary severity: Females: β = 0.117, p = 0.7092; Males: β = 0.038 p = 0.8851 |
- | Only UCPPS with more severe urologic pain were included |
| Comparison of inflammatory urine markers in patients with interstitial cystitis and overactive bladder | VEGF levels: OAB (Mean 19.5 ± 7.5) BPS (Mean 69.7 ± 40.1) * IC (Mean 48.7 ± 28.1) * |
- | OAB (OSSI-1.1 ± 1.1; OSPI: 0.6 ± 1.1; VAS: 0.4 ± 0.9) IC (OSSI: 10.3 ± 5.5 *; OSPI: 9.0 ± 4.8 *; VAS: 5.5 ± 3.3 *) BPS (OSSI: BPS:8.1 ± 4.4 *; OSPI: 7.6 ± 4.9 *; VAS: 4.8 ± 3.3 *) |
Small sample size Previous bladder hydrodistension history might influence results |
| Angiogenesis in bladder tissues is strongly correlated with urinary frequency and bladder pain in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain | VEGF expression levels in immunohistochemical staining: Increase in IC (p < 0.01) and BPS (p < 0.01) vs. controls |
- | Control (OSSI-0.9 ± 0.9; OSPI: 0.0 ± 0.0; VAS: 0.1 ± 0.2) IC (OSSI: 15.9 ± 2.6 **; OSPI: 15.0 ± 1.2 **; VAS: 9.4 ± 0.9 **); BPS (OSSI:9.3 ± 4.7 **; OSPI: 8.5 ± 4.7 **; VAS: 5.9 ± 2.1 **) |
Small sample size |
| Molecular Taxonomy of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Based on Whole Transcriptome Profiling by Next-Generation RNA Sequencing of Bladder Mucosal Biopsies | VEGF expression in bladder biopsies: BPS: Median 0.014; 99% CI 0.013–0.018 HSB: Median 0.016; 99% CI 0.012–0.024 Controls: Median 0.014; 99% CI 0.014–0.018 IC: Median 0.412; 99% CI 0.035–0.048, p = 0.002 vs. BPS; p = 0.004 vs. HSB; p = 0.007 vs. controls |
VEGF expression in IC patients correlated with: - Storage symptoms (ρ = 0.47; p < 0.01); - Voiding symptoms (ρ = 0.40; p = 0.02) - Daytime frequency (ρ = 0.35; p = 0.03) - Nocturia (ρ = 0.40; p = 0.01) - Decrease in hydrodistension (ρ = −0.46; p < 0.01) |
OSSI: (IC: 15.8 ± 3.7; BPS: 12.3 ± 3.0; HSB: 9.8 ± 4.8; control: 3.3 ± 1.4) OSPI: (IC: 13.3 ± 2.1; BPS: 12.4 ± 2.3; HSB: 10.7 ± 2.6; control: 1.8 ± 2.0) VAS pain score: (IC: 8.2 ± 2.3; BPS: 5.7 ± 3.3; HSB: 4.9 ± 2.4; control: 0) Significant differences (p < 0.01) between all groups within each questionnaire |
Small sample size Use of some inadequate biopsy samples |
| Association of Longitudinal Changes in Symptoms and Urinary Biomarkers in Patients with Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A MAPP Research Network Study | Relation between VEGF levels and symptom improvement: Pain severity: OR = 0.78 (p = 0.03) Urinary severity: OR = 1.06 (p = 0.62) Relation between VEGF-R1 levels and symptom improvement: Pain severity: OR = 0.88 (p = 0.06) Urinary severity: OR = 0.92 (p = 0.23) |
Suboptimal reliability data concerning some of the biomarkers | ||
| Relationship of Bladder Pain with Clinical and Urinary Markers of Neuroinflammation in Women with Urinary Urgency Without Urinary Incontinence | VEGF levels association with: - Urgency: β 0.09, 95% CI −0.12–0.29 (p = 0.39) - Bladder pain: β 0.04, 95% CI 0.001–0.07 (p = 0.04) - Neuropathic pain: β 0.10 95% CI -0.15-0.35 (p = 0.42) |
NBP: (F-GUPI: 12.3 ± 6.1; OSSI: 6.7 ± 3.4; OSPI: 4.9 ± 3.2; PainDETECT: 5.1 ± 4.8) BP: (F-GUPI: 28.1 ± 6.9 ***; OSSI: 9.8 ± 4.9 ***; OSPI: 8.7 ± 4.2 ***; PainDETECT: 13.3 ± 8.6 ***) |
Small sample size No healthy patients group control |
|
| Relationship of Pain Catastrophizing with Urinary Biomarkers in Women with Bladder Pain Syndrome | Lower VEGF levels: Higher pain catastrophizing (p = 0.03) Higher VEGF levels: Bladder pain (p = 0.01) |
Higher catastrophizing scores: worse urinary symptoms and quality of life, greater pelvic and neuropathic pain scores (all p < 0.01) | Not reported in abstract |
Abbreviations: BP—Bladder Pain group; BPS—Bladder Pain Syndrome; F-GUPI—Female Genitourinary Pain Index; HC—Healthy Controls; HSB—Hypersensitive Bladder; IC—Interstitial Cystitis; NBP—Non-Bladder Pain group; OAB—Overactive Bladder; OSPI—O’Leary—Sant Problem Indexes; OSSI—O’Leary Sant Symptom Indexes; PC—Positive Control (non-urological associated syndrome); UCPPS—Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome; VAS—Visual Analogue Scale; VEGF—Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; VEGF-R1—Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-receptor. * p < 0.01 vs. OAB; ** p < 0.01 vs. controls; *** p < 0.001 vs. NBP