Fibromyalgia: Prevalence, epidemiologic profiles and economic costs

Med Clin (Barc). 2017 Nov 22;149(10):441-448. doi: 10.1016/j.medcli.2017.06.008. Epub 2017 Jul 19.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Fibromyalgia is an idiopathic chronic condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia. This review aims to approach the general epidemiology of fibromyalgia according to the most recent published studies, identifying the general worldwide prevalence of the disease, its basic epidemiological profiles and its economic costs, with specific interest in the Spanish and Comunidad Valenciana cases. Fibromyalgia affects, on average, 2.10% of the world's population; 2.31% of the European population; 2.40% of the Spanish population; and 3.69% of the population in the Comunidad Valenciana. It supposes a painful loss of the quality of life of the people who suffer it and the economic costs are enormous: in Spain is has been estimated at more than 12,993 million euros annually.

Keywords: Economic impact; Epidemiology; Epidemiología; Fibromialgia; Fibromyalgia; Impacto económico; Prevalence; Prevalencia.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cost of Illness*
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Fibromyalgia / economics*
  • Fibromyalgia / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life
  • Spain / epidemiology