Jackson Tang

Employees With Fibromyalgia : Medical Comorbidity, Healthcare Costs, and Work Loss

Objectives: To compare 2005 health care resources among matched samples of employees with fibromyalgia (FM), osteoarthritis (OA), and controls. Methods: Using a claims database of privately insured individuals, FM and OA samples were derived from those with two or more disease-specific claims in 1999 to 2005 (≥1 in 2002 to 2005). Results: Total costs for employees with FM (

Frequency, Risk, and Cost of Gout-related Episodes Among the Elderly: Does Serum Uric Acid Level Matter?

10,199) approached OA costs (

Economic burden of psoriasis compared to the general population and stratified by disease severity.

10,861, P = 0.3758) and were significantly higher than controls (

Direct and indirect costs among employees with diabetic retinopathy in the United States

5274, P < 0.0001). Cost components varied across disease-specific samples (direct medical: FM

Cost Utility of Adalimumab versus Infliximab Maintenance Therapies in the United States for Moderately to Severely Active Crohn’s Disease

7286 vs OA

Cost and consequences of noncompliance with osteoporosis treatment among women initiating therapy.

8325, P < 0.0287; pharmacy: FM

Determinants of Direct Cost Differences among US Employees with Major Depressive Disorders Using Antidepressants

1630 vs OA

Substantial under-treatment among women diagnosed with osteoporosis in a US managed-care population: a retrospective analysis

1341; indirect: FM

Osteoporotic fracture rate among women with at least 1 year of adherence to osteoporosis treatment

2913 vs OA

Healthcare utilization and costs incurred by patients with major depression after being switched from escitalopram to another SSRI for non-medical reasons

2537, P < 0.0001). Employees with FM had more claims than OA for psychiatric diagnoses, chronic fatigue, and most pain conditions. Use of multiple prescription drug classes was common in both samples. Conclusions: FM imposes significant economic burden. Work loss contributes substantially to the impact.