Cost-utility of group acceptance and commitment therapy for fibromyalgia versus recommended drugs: an economic analysis alongside a 6-month randomised controlled trial conducted in Spain (EFFIGACT study)

The aim of this study was to analyse the cost-utility of a group-based form of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (GACT) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to patients receiving recommended pharmacological treatment (RPT) or on a waiting list (WL). The data were derived from a previously published study, an RCT that focused on clinical outcomes. Health economic outcomes included health-related quality of life and healthcare use at baseline and at 6-month follow-up using the EuroQol (EQ-5D-3L) and the Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI), respectively. Analyses included Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), direct and indirect cost differences, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). A total of 156 FM patients were randomized (51 GACT, 52 RPT, 53 WL). GACT was related to significantly less direct costs over the 6 month study period compared to both control arms (GACT €824.2 ± 1,062.7 vs. RPT €1,730.7 ± 1,656.8 vs WL €2,462.7 ± 2,822.0). Lower direct costs for GACT in comparison to RPT were due to lower costs from primary care visits and FM-related medications. The ICERs were dominant in the completers’ analysis and remained robust in the sensitivity analyses. In conclusion, ACT appears to be a cost-effective treatment in comparison to RPT in patients with FM.