Recurrent cystitis is a common and serious health problem that decreases the quality of life (QoL), and therefore the prevention of recurrent cystitis is required. There are antibiotic and non-antibiotic prophylaxes to reduce recurrent cystitis. Immunostimulant such as OM-89 (Uro-Vaxom) is a non-antibiotic preventive option for patients with recurrent cystitis (1). Thus we analyzed the change of the patient visited in the medical center due to recurrent cystitis and prescription with Uro-Vaxome in Korea using nationwide claims data.

We used nationwide claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Services database from January 2012 to December 2022. All diagnoses were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

The number of patients who visited the medical center was 74,183 in 2012 and it increased to 162,123 in 2022. Patients treated due to recurrent cystitis in 2022 increased more than two times compared with the number of patients in 2012. A similar age distribution was observed from 2021 to 2022. Age between 20 and 40 years was 28 (19,412,641,800/67,292,655,360)% of all the patients treated due to recurrent cystitis and the patient more than 50 years was 72 (47,880,013,560/67,292,655,360)%. Over 60 years was 50 (33,011,164,110/67,292,655,360)%. The number of patients who visited the medical center due to recurrent cystitis was similar all year round. The prescription frequency of Uro-Vaxome was 1,750,587 in 2018 and was increased to 4,661,485 in 2022. Prescription frequency in 2022 was increased more than two times compared with the prescription frequency in 2018.

Results from this study showed that patients who visited the medical center due to recurrent cystitis have been increasing. In addition, the majority of patients with recurrent cystitis were old population. These results suggested that recurrent cystitis is increasing as the aging population has been growing. Prescription frequency of Uro-Vaxome has been rising as patients with the increase of the recurrent cystitis. There was no seasonal variation in the number of patients and prescription frequency of Uro-Vaxome different from the previous studies observed that urinary tract infection has a seasonal variation (2).

Recurrent cystitis is a common and serious health problem that interferes with daily life and induces distress in the older population. Prophylaxis of recurrent cystitis is important and non-antibiotic prevention seems to be preferable because antibiotic prevention is associated with antibiotic resistance. Thus, increasing the use of Uro-Vaxome shows the need for non-antibiotic prevention in the older population. Further study is necessary to develop more evidence of the preventive effect of Uro-Vaxome.

Sihra N, Goodman A, Zakri R, Sahai A, Malde S. Nonantibiotic prevention and management of recurrent urinary tract infection. Nat Rev Urol 2018;15:750-776
Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Cavanaugh JE, Erickson BA, Suneja M, Polgreen PM. Warmer Weather and the Risk of Urinary Tract Infections in Women. J Urol 2021;205:500-506