The economic burden of fibromyalgia: A systematic literature review

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common disorder characterised by heterogeneous symptoms often leading to decreased functioning, work productivity and quality of life. Although a multimodal approach is used to treat FM, a significant proportion of patients show low satisfaction with perceived care, potentially resulting in an inefficient use of health care resources. The aim of the present review is to summarize the available evidence about the economic impact of FM and the specific cost drivers of health care expenditure for the syndrome.

MedLine and Web of Science databases were searched to identify eligible articles. Studies reporting direct medical and non-medical costs and/or indirect costs of FM were included. Annual costs per person were extrapolated from each study and converted to United States Dollars ($) after adjusting the local currency for inflation in year 2019.

The 36 studies included in the final synthesis differed considerably in their design and in the cost categories analysed. Overall risk of bias was high. Estimates for the total annual direct costs per patient ranged from $ 1750 to $ 35,920 in the USA and from $ 1250 to $ 8504 in Europe. In most included studies, medications were the major contributor to overall expenditures.

Fibromyalgia represents a substantial economic burden to health care systems and society. A better understanding of this complex disorder may not only improve quality of life of FM patients, but also have a significant impact on direct and indirect costs associated with the syndrome.