An Economic Evaluation of Pharmacological Therapy and Transurethral Resection of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
- Author:
Doo Jin LEE
1
;
Jin Seon CHO
;
Byung Soo CHUNG
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea. js315@hallym.or.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Prostate;
Economic analysis;
Transurethral resection;
Pharmacological therapy
- MeSH:
Doxazosin;
Finasteride;
Humans;
Prostate*;
Prostatic Hyperplasia*;
Transurethral Resection of Prostate
- From:Korean Journal of Urology
2002;43(7):619-623
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: An economic analysis of pharmacological therapy and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty six patients had undergone TURP from January to June 2000 were enrolled in this study. The costs associated with this group of patients were compared with those of 7 patients treated with medication (doxazosin, terazosin, tamsulosin, and finasteride only and alpha-blocker with finasteride). RESULTS: The mean cost for TURP was 1,900,000 won. The most expensive medical therapy was finasteride, which was followed by tamsulosin, terazosin, and doxazosin, with an estimated 12-month cost of 817,000won, 695,000won, 396,000won, and 372,000won respectively. The costs associated with doxazosin remained lower than those associated with TURP for approximately 5.3 years (the corresponding break-even point was 2.4 years for finasteride vs. TURP). CONCLUSIONS: Among the pharmacological therapies, doxazosin is the most cost effective. TURP was more cost effective than doxazosin therapy after 5.3 years. In view of the cost-effectiveness, TURP may be considered as the mode of primary therapy for the patients with severe symptoms of BPH.
