This retrospective observational study analyzed the epidemiology and treatment patterns of overactive bladder (OAB) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) among men aged 40 years and older using data from the IBM MarketScan databases. Among the 462,400 men included, BPH was more frequently diagnosed (61.5%) and treated (73.7%) than OAB (25.8% diagnosed and 7.0% treated). Treatment was more likely in those diagnosed with BPH (64.6%) compared to OAB (13.8%), highlighting significant differences in management patterns. For newly diagnosed or treated patients (n=196,576), only 60.3% received treatment, predominantly with alpha-blocker monotherapy (76.9%), followed by tadalafil monotherapy (16.4%). Median time to treatment initiation among untreated individuals was 128 days.

The findings underscore the challenges in diagnosing and managing OAB in men due to overlapping symptoms with BPH. The study reveals a tendency toward the undertreatment of OAB and possible mismanagement for men presenting with combined voiding and storage symptoms. These results highlight the need for better differentiation of conditions and tailored treatment strategies to optimize care for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Reference: Burnett AL, Walker DR, Feng Q, et al. Undertreatment of overactive bladder among men with lower urinary tract symptoms in the United States: A retrospective observational study. Neurourol Urodyn. 2020;39(5):1378-1386. doi: 10.1002/nau.24348.