Characteristics of patients with fibromyalgia in France and Germany

SUMMARY Introduction: Few studies have comprehensively assessed the burden associated with fibromyalgia (FM). This cross-sectional, observational study evaluates the impact of FM on patients in France and Germany. Methods: A total of 299 FM patients were recruited from 33 physician offices in France and Germany during routine visits. Patients completed a survey that included the Brief Pain Inventory- Short Form (BPI-sf), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to describe their pain, FM and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). FM severity was defined using patients' FIQ total scores with 0 to < 39, 39 to < 59 and 59-100, representing mild, mod- erate and severe FM, respectively. Site staff completed case report forms using patients' medical records. Results: Mean (standard deviation, SD) age was 54.2 (12.6); 81% of patients were women. The mean (SD) FIQ total score was 53.3 (19.6); 33% and 44% of patients reported moderate and severe FM, respectively. Most patients (91%) were receiving prescription medications for FM during the study. Patients reported a mean (SD) EQ-5D health state valuation of 0.44 (0.33) and a mean (SD) BPI-sf Pain Severity Index score of 4.9 (1.8). Forty-one percent of patients reported some level of disruption in their employment because of FM; employed patients missed a mean (SD) of 2.2 (4.6) workdays during the past 4 weeks. An increase in FM severity was significantly associated with increased pain severity, productivity loss, sleep disturbance and higher anxiety and depression (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: There is a substantial burden of illness including treatment limitations for FM patients in France and Germany. What's known FM patients are high consumers of healthcare services in Europe. The lack of a definitive diagnostic test means that FM patients repeatedly present to physicians with various symptoms prior to diagnosis. Once diagnosed, patients often experience suboptimal pain and symptom management. What's new This study represents one of the first attempts to characterise the full patient experience of disorder, function and HRQOL of FM patients. Patients reported high levels of pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, diminished HRQOL and substantial loss of productivity. Patients' health status and other key symptom domains worsened as FM severity increased. These results highlight the disease burden and limitations of treatment options currently available in France and Germany.