Treatment modalities, health care resource utilization, and costs in patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis

The aim of this study was to examine treatment modalities, health care resource utilization, and costs in patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (IC).

Patients with a diagnosis of IC were identified from a national managed care administration claims database and classified into treatment cohorts. All-cause health care resource utilization and costs were calculated by treatment cohort.

Patients treated with narcotics plus nonnarcotic analgesics were associated with higher mean health care costs. Patient cohorts treated with some of the more common oral therapies for interstitial cystitis, including pentosan polysulfate sodium, amitriptyline, and hydroxyzine, were associated with lower costs. Physician visits were fewest among patients treated with pentosan polysulfate sodium plus amitriptyline and hydroxyzine. Physician visits were higher for cohorts that included dimethyl sulfoxide plus cystoscopy or bladder irrigation, or narcotics plus nonnarcotic analgesics.

Interstitial cystitis is associated with substantial costs and health care resource utilization.