Cost-effectiveness analysis of anti-muscarinic agents for the treatment of overactive bladder.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cost-effectiveness of pharmacologic treatments for overactive bladder (OAB) in the US.

METHODS: A decision model was constructed based on studies of effectiveness, adverse consequences, co-morbid conditions, and medical costs for the treatment of OAB. Treatment success was defined as no incontinence episodes for 3-7 days or 3-7 consecutive dry days. Estimates of treatment success were obtained from clinical trials and included darifenacin, fesoterodine, oxybutynin immediate release (IR), oxybutynin extended release (ER), oxybutynin topical gel, oxybutynin transdermal patch, solifenacin, tolterodine IR, tolterodine ER, trospium IR, and trospium ER. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted using Monte Carlo simulation.

RESULTS: A total of 51 OAB studies were identified and 11 reported treatment success. Mean continence rates varied in the literature from 21.0% with trospium IR to 51.0% with solifenacin. The 95% CI for solifenacin's success rate was statistically higher than other regimens due to the higher continence rates from the clinical trials. Oxybutynin IR and oxybutynin ER were significantly less costly than other products. The product with the lowest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) relative to oxybutynin IR was solifenacin at $1338 (± 168) per additional continent patient. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve indicated that oxybutynin IR was the most cost-effective regimen when willingness-to-pay values were less than $10,000 per additional continent patient. Solifenacin was most cost-effective at higher willingness-to-pay values.

CONCLUSION: There was broad overlap in effectiveness among the anti-muscarinic products, except solifenacin had a significantly higher continence rate. Oxybutynin IR and oxybutynin ER were significantly less costly than other anti-muscarinic regimens, and these two products have a useful role to play in the management of OAB. However, for patients unable to tolerate the lower cost products, formularies benefit from solifenacin among branded products since the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve demonstrated it was the product most likely to be cost-effective after oxybutynin IR.