The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58273

Aruna V. Sarma, PhD¹, Steven J Jacobsen, MD, MPH², Debra J Jacobson, MD³, Rosebud O Roberts, MD MS³, and Michael M. Lieber, MD³. (1) Urology, University of Michigan, 1016 Women's Trailer, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 734-763-7514, asarma@umich.edu, (2) Clinical Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, (3) Health Sciences Research, Division of Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, 200 First Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905

Introduction: The treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has changed dramatically during the last decade, from traditional surgery to less invasive therapies. The objective of the current study was to describe the incidence of and treatment for BPH among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota. Methods: Incident cases of and treatment for BPH from 1987 to 1997 among male residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota were identified using the Medical and Surgical Indices, made available through the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Results: Over the 10-year period, 2330 cases of BPH were identified representing an age-adjusted cumulative incidence of 854.71 per 100,000 men. The incidence of BPH decreased over the 10 year period for the entire cohort by approximately 25% (p=0.002), from 727.11 per 100,000 to 546.31 per 100,000. 2213 of the 2330 (95%) incident cases of BPH received no treatment (watchful waiting) at the initial physician visit in which BPH was mentioned, while 48 (2%) and 67 (3%) men received surgical and pharmacologic treatments, respectively. These percentages shifted throughout the study period, however, with watchful waiting and surgery changing from 94% to 91% (p<0.001) and 6% to 0.6% (p<0.0001), respectively. By contrast, the percentage receiving pharmacologic therapy increased from 2% to 9% (p<0.0001). Conclusion: While BPH has long been considered a surgical condition with surgery as the primary therapeutic modality for the condition, it is clear that the advent of alternatives to surgery, including pharmacologic therapy, have had a significant impact on treatment trends for BPH in the last decade.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe new treatments for BPH and assess their benefits.

Keywords: Treatment Outcomes, Treatment Patterns

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.