Healthcare Resource Utilization and the Direct Medical Cost of Fibromyalgia Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain and multiple comorbidities and imposes a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Although extensively studied in Western countries, the economic impact of FM in Saudi Arabia remains unexplored. This study aimed to estimate healthcare resource utilization and the associated direct medical costs related to FM in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia.

A retrospective study was conducted using a bottom-up approach to assess the cost of illness associated with FM from a healthcare perspective. Analyzed data were extracted from February 2021 to February 2022 from the medical records of adult patients with FM who visited a tertiary healthcare hospital. Unit costs for each healthcare resource used in 2022 Saudi riyals (SAR) were obtained from the hospital's billing system. The primary cost items were converted to US dollars (USD).

Data were extracted from 128 patients. They were predominantly female (93%) with a mean age of 47.1 years. Most patients were either overweight (43.4%) or obese (41.6%), and 56.3% had three or more comorbidities. Rheumatology was the most frequently accessed specialty (52.3%). Antidepressants were the most prescribed medications (77.3%). The average annual direct medical cost per patient was SAR 9,601.2 (USD 2,560.3), with healthcare team specialist visits and diagnostic procedures constituting 50.7% and 45.6% of the total costs, respectively. Laboratory tests imposed the highest financial burden (mean cost per patient: SAR 3,268.5 ; USD 871.6), whereas medications contributed only 3.7% of the total costs.

FM places a substantial burden on the Saudi healthcare system. Although the annual cost falls within the average global range, healthcare team visits followed by diagnostic procedures are the main drivers of FM costs. These findings provide essential knowledge for healthcare planning and resource allocation by policymakers aiming to reduce the costs associated with FM in Saudi Arabia.