Lee Cheol-Hyeong, Lee Eun Young, Yang Miyoung, Won Hyung-Sun, Kim Yeon-Dong
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Wonkwang University Hospital, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Gwangju, Korea.
Korean J Pain. 2023 Oct 1;36(4):458-464. doi: 10.3344/kjp.23204.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex disorder characterized by widespread chronic pain and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues. It is a chronic pain condition often accompanied by other symptoms and comorbidities. To effectively manage FM, it is crucial to obtain fundamental epidemiological data pertaining to the target population. Therefore, this study was conducted to elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of FM in the Korean population.
Population-based medical data of 51,276,314 subscribers to the National Health Insurance Service of Korea from 2014 to 2018 were used in this study.
The overall incidence of FM ranged from 441 (2014) to 541 (2018) cases per 100,000 person-years, with a higher prevalence observed among female patients compared to male patients. The incidence gradually increased until middle age, followed by a decrease. The highest incidence rates were observed in the fifth decade of life for females and the sixth decade of life for males. When categorizing the affected parts of the body, the shoulder region was observed to be the most frequently affected. A comparison of the drug prescriptions based on medical specialty showed that antidepressants were the most commonly prescribed medications. The management of FM leads to consistent increases in medical expenses, regional disparities, and variations in prescription patterns across different medical specialties.
The findings of this study will not only contribute to the understanding of FM characteristics but also provide a vital foundation for efficient management of FM in Korea.
纤维肌痛（FM）是一种复杂的病症，其特征为肌肉、韧带和软组织广泛存在慢性疼痛和压痛。它是一种慢性疼痛病症，常伴有其他症状和合并症。为有效管理纤维肌痛，获取与目标人群相关的基础流行病学数据至关重要。因此，本研究旨在阐明韩国人群中纤维肌痛的流行病学特征。
本研究使用了2014年至2018年韩国国民健康保险服务的51276314名参保人的基于人群的医疗数据。
纤维肌痛的总体发病率为每10万人年441例（2014年）至541例（2018年），女性患者的患病率高于男性患者。发病率在中年之前逐渐上升，之后下降。女性在50多岁时发病率最高，男性在60多岁时发病率最高。对身体受影响部位进行分类时，肩部区域是最常受影响的部位。基于医学专业的药物处方比较显示，抗抑郁药是最常开具的药物。纤维肌痛的管理导致医疗费用持续增加、地区差异以及不同医学专业的处方模式存在差异。
本研究结果不仅有助于了解纤维肌痛的特征，还为韩国有效管理纤维肌痛提供了重要基础。
