From the Research
Dosing Recommendations for Pentosan Polysulfate
- The currently recommended dose of pentosan polysulfate sodium is 100 mg three times daily or 300 mg once daily 1, 2.
- A study comparing the efficacy and safety of 100 mg once daily and 100 mg three times daily found no statistically significant difference between the two doses 1.
- Another study evaluated three dosages (300,600, and 900 mg) of pentosan polysulfate sodium and found that the response to treatment was not dose dependent, with all three dosages showing significant improvement in symptoms 2.
- The duration of therapy appears to be more important than the dosage, with a clinically significant response demonstrated at all three dosages 2.
- A dose of 300 mg/day oral pentosan polysulfate was used in a study that found significant improvement in symptoms, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index score, and quality of life in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome 3.
Adverse Events and Tolerability
- Pentosan polysulfate sodium was well tolerated, with a similar percent of patients discontinuing due to an adverse event across different doses 1.
- Adverse events were mostly mild and resolved without intervention 2.
- A study found that 5.4% of patients treated with pentosan polysulfate experienced adverse reactions 3.
Clinical Use
- Pentosan polysulfate is the only oral treatment for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome approved by the World Health Organization 3.
- It is the only US FDA-approved oral treatment for the relief of bladder pain or discomfort associated with interstitial cystitis 4.
- Pentosan polysulfate shows beneficial effects in a proportion of patients with interstitial cystitis in terms of improvement of a patient's overall condition and relief of pain 4.