Utilisation of healthcare services and drug consumption in fibromyalgia: A cross-sectional analysis of the Clalit Health Service database.

AIM: To investigate the health care utilisation and drug consumption of patients with fibromyalgia (FM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using the Clalit Health Care database. Clalit is the largest HMO in Israel, serving more than 4.4 million enrollees. We identified FM patients and age and sex-matched controls. Indicators of healthcare utilisation and drug consumption were extracted and analysed for both groups. RESULTS: The study included 14 296 FM patients and 71 324 controls. The mean age was 56 years, with a women predominance of 92%. The mean number of visits across of all healthcare services (hospitalisations, emergency department visit, general practitioner clinic visits, rheumatology clinic visits, and pain clinic visits) and the mean difference (MD) were significantly higher for FM patients compared with controls (MD 0.66, P < .001; MD 0.23, P < .001; MD 7.49, P < .001; MD 0.31, P < .001; MD 0.13, P < .001), respectively. Drug use was significantly and consistently higher among FM patients compared with controls; NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) OR 2.56, P < .001; Opioids OR 4.23, P < .001; TCA (tricyclic antidepressants) OR 8.21, P < .001; Gabapentinoids OR 6.31, P < .001; SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) OR 2.07, P < .001; SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) OR 7.43, P < .001. CONCLUSION: Healthcare utilisation and drug use are substantially higher among patients with FM compared with controls.

Psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Oswestry Disability Index.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common health complaints, with lifetime prevalence rates as high as 84%. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is often the measure of choice for LBP in both research and clinical settings and, as such, has been translated into 29 languages and dialects. Currently, however, there is no validated version of Hebrew-translated ODI (ODI-H). OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychometric properties of the ODI-H. METHODS: Cross-culturally appropriate translation into Hebrew was conducted. A convenience sample of 115 participants (Case Group) with LBP and 68 without LBP (Control Group) completed the ODI-H, SF-36 Health Survey, and two Visual Analog Scales (VAS). RESULTS: Internal consistency was α = 0.94 and test-retest reliability for 18 participants repeating the ODI-H was 0.97. No floor or ceiling effects were noted for Cases, although there was a floor effect for the Control Group. Scores were significantly different for the two groups, indicating discriminant validity. Concurrent validity was reflected by significant correlations with SF-36 scores, particularly the Physical Functioning and Bodily Pain subscales (-0.83 and -0.79, respectively) and with the VAS (0.84 and 0.79). CONCLUSIONS: The ODI-H is a valid and reliable measure of low back pain-related disability for the Hebrew-speaking public.

Characterization of the anaemia associated with Graves' disease.

BACKGROUND: Graves' disease (GD) is associated with hyperthyroidism. Thyrotoxicosis adversely affects multiple organ systems including haematopoiesis. Anaemia occurring specifically in GD has not been systematically studied previously. OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence and characteristics of the anaemia associated with GD. DESIGN: Eighty-seven newly diagnosed patients with GD were recruited. Haematological indices, thyroid function and inflammatory parameters were examined at presentation and following successful treatment of hyperthyroidism. SETTING: Tertiary care academic referral centre. RESULTS: Thirty-three per cent of subjects presented with anaemia. The prevalence of anaemia not attributable to other causes (GD anaemia) was 22%. GD anaemia affected 41.6% (10/24) of men compared to 17.5% of women (11/63). Mean erythropoietin (EPO) levels (15.5 +/- 5.3 mIU/ml) were within normal reference limits but significantly higher (P = 0.004) than those of the non-anaemic controls. Hgb correlated inversely with EPO (P = 0.05) and CRP (P = 0.04) levels, a relationship that persisted after multivariate adjustment for TT3 or TT4. With antithyroid therapy for 16 +/- 6.3 weeks, Hgb levels normalized in 8 out of 9 subjects with GD anaemia (10.7 +/- 0.8 to 13.5 +/- 1.3 g/dl, P = 0.0001). After normalization of Hgb, mean MCV and TIBC were significantly increased, and median ferritin and mean EPO were significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: GD anaemia is common, resembles the anaemia of chronic disease, and is associated with markers of inflammation. It corrects promptly with return to the euthyroid state following treatment.