Resource use and healthcare costs in patients with overactive bladder who initiate treatment with mirabegron or antimuscarinic monotherapy in Catalonia: the MIRACAT study.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Overactive bladder (OAB) negatively impacts patient quality of life and may be associated with high resource use. Our aim was to describe the resource use, costs and persistence associated with mirabegron (MB) or antimuscarinic (AM) treatment in patients with OAB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational retrospective study of medical records in adult patients initiating OAB treatment with MB or AM in Catalonia. Healthcare resource use (visits, hospital stays, tests, medication, absorbent pads) in the first year after treatment initiation was collected. Associated costs were estimated (є, reference year 2019), as well as treatment persistence. Treatment discontinuation was defined as the absence of prescription for at least 45 days or treatment change. RESULTS: The mean cost per patient (SD) was є 1,640.20 (є 1,227.60) with MB and є 2,159.20 (є 2,264.40) with AM; the associated healthcare resource use cost was lower with MB compared to AM, except for OAB drug costs. Persistence after 12 months of treatment initiation was higher in MB (42.1%) compared to AM (33.0%), as was the median time until treatment discontinuation: 299 (95% CI: 270-328) vs 240 days (95% CI: 230-250). CONCLUSIONS: Lower healthcare resource use was observed with MB compared to AM in the first year of index treatment, resulting in a lower mean direct cost per patient and year, despite its higher acquisition cost. Increased treatment persistence, as well as rational use of available treatments improves OAB management and, in return, patients' quality of life.