Comparison of health care costs and co-morbidities between men diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and men with CVD alone in a US commercial population

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare costs and treatment patterns between men with concomitant benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and CVD to men with CVD (but not BPH). Study design: A retrospective, matched cohort study was utilized to assess costs and treatment between two study populations. Methods: The data source was administrative claims from managed care organizations between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2004. A control group of men with CVD only was created matching by age, index CVD diagnosis date, and CVD diagnoses. Diagnosis and procedure codes identified men with BPH and CVD. Differences in medical costs, co-morbidities, and drug treatments were assessed. Results: Approximately 39% of men identified with BPH also had some form of CVD at the time of BPH diagnosis. Men with BPH and CVD were more likely to have additional co-morbidities, more frequently received medications for CVD and non-CVD disorders, had 44% higher total medical costs than men with CVD only ( p < 0.001), and had 42% higher CVD-related costs ( p < 0.001) than men with CVD only. Limitations: The population studied in this analysis was primarily working individuals with health benefits provided by managed care plans; therefore, the results may not generalize to other populations. Conclusions: This study demonstrates in a commercial payer population that men with concomitant BPH and CVD have more co-morbidities, receive pharmacologic agents more frequently, and have higher health care resource utilization than men with CVD only. Due to the high prevalence of co-morbid BPH and CVD, screening for BPH in men presenting with CVD may assist with earlier disease identification and cost management over time.