Clin Exp Rheumatol
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Multicenter Study
Resource utilisation and health care costs in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia in Spain.
Fibromyalgia (FM) patients have been regarded as great utilizers of health resources, with important related costs. The aim of this study is to describe health care resource utilisation and related costs of FM from the perspective of the National Health System in Spain. ⋯ FM patients with higher costs show the greatest disease involvement. Direct and indirect costs are well correlated to disease severity. The indirect costs account for most of the economic burden of FM and approximately double the health care costs. Patients with permanent working disability present more severe disease and generate greater health care costs.