Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society
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Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is characterized by urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, pain worse as the bladder fills and improved after emptying. These features might suggest abnormal autonomic bladder control mechanisms. We compared the structural integrity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in IC/BPS and control subjects. ⋯ The findings show no structural ANS abnormalities in IC/BPS subjects. Higher baseline HR supports the concept of functional rather than structural change in the ANS, such as abnormality of sympathetic/parasympathetic balance that will require further evaluation.