Papers of the Week

: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating chronic condition affecting millions globally. Dextrose prolotherapy, a minimally invasive and safe treatment, has emerged as a potential way to promote tissue healing in these patients. This study investigates how dextrose prolotherapy impacts the urinary microbiome, aiming to uncover the underlying mechanisms involved in its effectiveness. Midstream urine samples from healthy controls and IC/BPS patients were collected before and after administering intravesical 10% dextrose injections. Microbiome profiling was conducted using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze bacterial composition. Significant differences in urinary microbiome diversity were observed between healthy controls and IC/BPS patients. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota were more abundant in IC/BPS patients. Importantly, dextrose prolotherapy led to a decrease in harmful bacteria (Subgroup_22, ) while enriching beneficial species such as , , and , correlating with improved clinical symptoms. Dextrose prolotherapy (DP) not only reduces the presence of harmful bacteria but also fosters the growth of beneficial microbes in IC/BPS patients. These findings suggest that the modulation of the urinary microbiome may be a key factor in its therapeutic success.