One treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA relieves symptoms of overactive bladder in patients refractory to one or more oral medications
Authors: Farrelly Elisabeth , Hamid Rizwan , Lorenzo‐Gomez Maria‐Fernanda , Schulte‐Baukloh Heinrich , Yu Jun , Patel Anand , Nelson Mariana 
Published: June 2023

Introduction and Hypothesis

Patients with overactive bladder (OAB) often undergo prolonged treatment with one or more oral OAB medications. OnabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA), a type A botulinum toxin, may provide an appropriate alternative to oral treatments in patients intolerant of or refractory to one or more oral OAB medications. The GRACE study demonstrated real‐world benefits of onabotA treatment for OAB in patients refractory to oral medications. This exploratory post hoc analysis of data from the GRACE study aims to determine if treatment history impacts benefit from treatment with onabotA.

Methods

This is a subanalysis of the GRACE study, a prospective observational study (NCT02161159) that enrolled patients with symptomatic OAB inadequately managed by at least one oral OAB medication. Patients had a treatment history of one or more anticholinergics (AC) and/or β‐3 adrenoreceptor agonists (β‐3) for relief of OAB; results were stratified according to treatment history. Patients in this analysis elected to discontinue oral medications upon treatment with onabotA. Safety was followed for 12 months in all patients that received at least 1 dose of onabotA; efficacy was determined over a 12‐week period.

Results

Compared to baseline levels, significant reductions in urinary incontinence (UI), urgency, micturition, and nocturia were noted as early as 1 week and were sustained at 12 weeks, regardless of the type and number of oral medications taken before treatment with onabotA. At 12 weeks post‐onabotA, the mean change from baseline UI episodes/day for those with a treatment history of only one AC was −2.4 (n = 43, p ≤ 0.001); more than one AC, −2.4 (n = 52, p ≤ 0.001); one β‐3, −3.3 (n = 12, p < 0.05); at least one AC and at least one β‐3, −3.2 (n = 56, p ≤ 0.001). Pad and liner use was significantly decreased at 12 weeks post‐onabotA across all treatment history groups. Reductions in diaper pant use varied, with less of a reduction in patients with a treatment history of more than one AC compared to patients with a history of at least one AC and one β‐3 (p < 0.05) or those with a history of only one AC (p < 0.05).

Overall, a total of 253/288 of patients (88%) reported improvements on the treatment benefit scale 12 weeks after treatment with onabotA, regardless of type and number of prior oral medications. In the population of patients that received at least one dose of onabotA (N = 504), 57 adverse events were reported in 38 patients (7.5%); 9 were serious (1.8%). Urinary retention was reported in 5 patients (1.0%); 1 was severe (0.2%). Symptomatic urinary tract infection was reported in 2 patients (0.4%).

Conclusions

In this exploratory post hoc analysis of real‐world data from the GRACE study, there were few significant differences in outcomes based on the type and number of prior oral medications. Thus, patients who are refractory to one or more oral OAB medications may benefit from earlier treatment with onabotA.