Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP)

Status: Current

Grant Start: 09/15/2008

Grant End: 06/30/2023

The Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to investigate urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS), which encompasses two highly prevalent chronic urologic pain disorders–interstitial cystitis/ bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) in men and women, and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in men. This poorly understood and characterized disorder has a mostly empirical and unsatisfactory treatment. So, the MAPP Network’s research was designed to study the etiology and treated natural history of UCPPS, to inform better treatments and management of symptoms through improved designs of clinical trials, and to identify clinical factors and research measurements to define clinically relevant sub-groups of these patients. During the MAPP Network’s five-year project period (MAPP I), the primary clinical research effort was a prospective cohort study, the Trans-MAPP Epidemiology/Phenotyping Study. The second phase of the MAPP Network, the Trans-MAPP Symptom Patterns Study, is now coming to an end and was designed to conduct a prospective, observational study of men and women with UCPPS, referred to as the Trans-MAPP Symptom Patterns Study. This national research network includes six Discovery Sites that will conduct multidisciplinary research studies, a Data Coordinating Core that coordinates data collection and analysis, and a Tissue Analysis and Technology Core that coordinates and analyzes tissue samples and provides technical support.

Partners

  • University of Washington
  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  • University of California
  • University of Southern California
  • University of Colorado
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Iowa
  • Washington University in St. Louis
  • University of Michigan
  • Queen's University
  • Harvard University Children's Hospital
  • University of Pennsylvania

Funding Sponsors

  • Federal - National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Study Locations

  • Washington
  • California
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
  • Iowa
  • Michigan

Study Type

  • Cohort study
  • Epidemiologic
  • Neuroimaging
  • Biomarkers

Study Characteristics

  • Ages 18 plus

Team Member(s)

Focus Areas

  • Pain
  • Urology