鑑於目前文獻上間質性膀胱炎之有關資料都是屬於西方人的資料，所以從1993年起，我們開始建立屬於我們自己的資料庫。自1993年8月到1996年7月，我們共收集了26例間質性膀胱炎之患者，以問卷方式調查並研究其症狀特性及其對生活品質的影響。我們發現大部份的患者為女性患者，平均年齡為41歲，其中共有10位患都曾對食物或藥物過敏，或曾患有過敏免疫性疾病。有4位患者在其近親中，有與其類似症狀的病史。有3位患者曾在精神科門診就診過。有14位患者，曾接受過腹部手術，其中71.4%的患者是接受過婦產科手術。有19位患者會因飲食而加劇其症狀，有4位患者會因天氣變化而加劇其症狀。以間質性膀胱炎症狀指數來評估病人症狀的程度，最嚴重的症狀為頻尿。每夜夜尿平均次數為4.6次。所有患者在膀胱漲時都會覺得疼痛，最常見的疼痛位置是下腹部或會陰部區域。有12位患者在性行為時會有疼痛感。在生活品質的影響方面，長途旅行所受的影響最大。與國外資料比較，我們的病人顯示有較久的症狀期及較弱的疼痛指數。本院罹患間質性膀胱炎的症狀特性的確與國外患都有些差異以在我們選擇治療方式時，也應將其差異列入考慮。

The objective of this study is to gradually build up a Chinese database of interstitial cystitis (IC). From January 1993 to July 1996, a total of 26 patients met the criteria for IC. Using a questionnaire, we interviewed 19 patients by a telephone and investigated 7 patients during their hospitalization. The questionnaire included demography, medical history, characteristics of the symptom complex, exacerbating factors, and the impact of IC on quality of life. Most (23) patients are female. The mean age of all patients is 41.0 yr. Ten patients (38.4%) had 1 or more risk factors of hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to medication or food and a cluster of immunopathological abnormalities. Close relatives of 4 patients (15.4%) had similar voiding symptoms. Three patients (11.7%) had consulted a psychologist. Fourteen patients (53.8%) had operative history with the majority (71.4%) of them having undergone gyneco-obstertric surgery. Nineteen patients (73.1%) experienced exacerbation of symptoms by some drinks or diets. Symptoms of 4 patients (15.4%) were weather related. With the aid of a symptom scoring system, we found that the most disturbing symptom was urinary frequency. The mean nocturia is 4.6 times per night. The rare urge incontinence occurred in 2 patients, while 8 pa-tients had stress urinary incontinence. All patients felt pain or discomfort on bladder distention with the pain mostly located in the lower abdomen or vaginal/perineal region. Twelve patients (46.2%) had dyspareunia. IC symptoms had significant ill effects on patients’ quality of life, in which long distance travel was the most severely affected. In comparison to the database from Western countries, our patients experienced longer symptom duration (8.9 vs. less than 5 yr) and lower pain intensity. Our results suggest that indeed some symptomatic characteristics of our IC patients are different from those of IC patients from Western countries. It is invaluable to consider such differences in treating Chineses IC patients. (J Urol R.O.C., 9:148-153, 1998)