Managing nocturia: The multidisciplinary approach

Nocturia: its characteristics, diagnostic algorithm and treatment

Nocturia is the complaint that an individual has to wake up at night one or more times to urinate. It is a frequent condition among older adults and entails detrimental effects with regard to sleeping, sexual activity, comfort, depression, mental function and vitality. It is clinically important to distinguish it from global polyuria, defined as a urinary rate ≥ 125 ml/h (3000 ml/day), as well as from nocturnal polyuria, which is an abnormally large volume of urine during sleep associated with a decreased daytime urine production. A Frequency Volume Chart (FVC), overnight water deprivation test with renal concentrating capacity test, and the nocturnal bladder capacity index are some of the methods that help establish the underlying pathology of this condition and hence define an adequate treatment plan.

Pharmacotherapeutic options in the treatment of nocturia: update on current oral drug therapies

INTRODUCTION

Nocturia is a common urinary complaint among patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms and in recent years, there is a greater emphasis to tailor the treatment for nocturia in a more holistic and multidisciplinary manner given the potential multifactorial causes for nocturia.

AREAS COVERED

Current oral drug therapies can be classified into three main groups, namely, decreasing polyuria, targeting bladder capacity, and improving sleep-wake and circadian rhythm. The authors focus this article on these oral therapies and provide their expert opinion.

EXPERT OPINION

Treatment strategies should always involve lifestyle changes and behavioral modifications, with the targeted treatment of underlying medical conditions that may cause nocturia. Desmopressin remains the only drug approved specifically for the treatment of nocturia. Medications targeting the bladder and prostate can have secondary benefits in minimizing nocturnal frequency and urgency especially if the drug is taken at nighttime. Treatment of an underlying sleep disorder or circadian disorder can often help to increase total sleep time and quality, and perhaps reducing the nocturnal diuresis and nocturia episodes. Future studies in nocturia should improve the identification and diagnosis of underlying mechanisms that lead to nocturia, so treatment can become more streamlined, while at the same time, explore the role of various pharmacotherapeutic agents and novel therapy to reduce or eliminate nocturia.

The Economic Burden of Nocturia on the U.S. Health Care System and Society: A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Analysis

BACKGROUND

Nocturia, characterized as waking during the main sleep period to urinate, is a common condition. Persistent nocturia results in sleep fragmentation with deleterious effects on health and well-being. Yet, there are limited data on the economic burden of nocturia in the United States.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of nocturia with health care resource utilization (HRU), work productivity, and self-rated health while estimating the societal costs of nocturia in the United States in 2017.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 2005-2006 to 2013-2014). Adults aged ≥ 18 years (excluding pregnant women) were stratified into individuals with nocturia (≥ 2 voids/night) and individuals without nocturia (< 2 voids/night), based on the threshold for clinically significant nocturia. Outcomes were self-reported and included HRU (hospitalizations, outpatient visits); work productivity (weekly hours worked, employment); and current health status. Multivariable regression analyses adjusting for age, race, sex, body mass index, insurance status, education level, alcohol use, smoking status, and self-reported comorbid conditions were used to compare the 2 cohorts, overall and stratified by age group (20-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65+ years) to distinguish the effects on different age groups including the Medicare-aged population. Excess direct health care costs and indirect productivity costs associated with nocturia in the United States were then calculated using a prevalence-based approach and available literature (i.e., nocturia prevalence estimates, aggregated unit costs by HRU type, and average hourly earnings in the United States).

RESULTS

22,300 individuals were identified, and 24% had nocturia (≥ 2 voids/night). Median age was 55.2 and 43.2 years among individuals with and without nocturia, respectively, and the proportion of males was 43.3% and 51.3%, respectively. Individuals with nocturia had significantly more HRU, including hospitalizations and outpatient visits, worked significantly fewer hours weekly, and were significantly less likely to be employed when compared with those without nocturia. They were also significantly less likely to report being in very good/excellent health. These comparisons remained statistically significant across age groups. Total excess direct health care costs were $62.9 billion (hospitalization: $47.6 billion; outpatient: $15.3 billion). Total excess indirect productivity costs were $151.7 billion. Altogether, costs were estimated at $214.5 billion, equivalent to $3,491 per individual with nocturia. Individuals aged 20-44 years incurred 23.5% of total excess costs, while those aged 45-64 and 65+ years incurred 48.2% and 28.3%, respectively. Sensitivity analyses based on lower prevalence estimates resulted in costs of $94.0 billion, while those based on higher prevalence estimates reached up to $231.1 billion.

CONCLUSIONS

Nocturia is associated with a substantial economic burden in the United States even when evaluated based on lower prevalence estimates. This study underscores the importance of timely diagnosis and management of nocturia patients to alleviate health-related and economic consequences to patients and society.

DISCLOSURES

This work was supported by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, which contributed to and approved the study design and participated in the interpretation of data, review, and approval of the manuscript. Gauthier-Loiselle, Gagnon-Sanschagrin, and Wu are employees of Analysis Group, which received consultancy fees from Ferring Pharmaceuticals for work on this study. Jhaveri is a full-time employee of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Parts of this work were presented as a poster presentation at AMCP Nexus 2018; October 22-25, 2018; Orlando, FL.