Marijuana Associated With Fewer Disease-Related Complications In Those With Crohn’s Disease, Finds Study

Marijuana Associated With Fewer Disease-Related Complications In Those With Crohn’s Disease, Finds Study

According to a study published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences, marijuana consumers with Crohn’s disease who are seeking hospitalization possess fewer disease-related complications compared to those who don’t use cannabis.

For the study a team of investigators from the John H. Stroger Hospital in Chicago, the SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in New York City, and the Digestive Disease Institute in Cleveland assessed the relationship between cannabis use and the prevalence of Crohn’s disease-related complications and clinical outcomes in a nationwide cohort of hospitalized patients.

According to a NORML news release, authors reported that patients with a history of cannabis use possessed fewer complications and experienced better clinical outcomes as compared to abstainers.

They concluded, “In summary, our study suggests that cannabis use may mitigate several of the well-described complications of Crohn’s disease among hospital inpatients and this could be due to an anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis and potential improvement in gastrointestinal mucosal healing.”

A prior observational study “showed that cannabis use is associated with fewer incidences of Crohn’s disease hospitalizations, while a placebo-controlled trial reported that cannabis therapy was associated with greater rates of disease remission”, states NORML.

The full text of the study, “Association between cannabis use and complications related to Crohn’s disease: A retrospective cohort study,” appears in Digestive Diseases and Sciences.

The full abstract of the study can be found below:

BACKGROUND:

Crohn’s disease is an idiopathic inflammatory process that is occasionally associated with complications, which cause significant morbidity and mortality. The anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis in intestinal inflammation has been shown in several experimental models; it is unknown whether this correlates with fewer complications in Crohn’s disease patients.

AIMS:

To compare the prevalence of Crohn’s disease-related complications among cannabis users and non-users in patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or a primary diagnosis of Crohn’s related complication and a secondary diagnosis of Crohn’s disease between 2012 and 2014.

METHODS:

We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample. Cannabis users (615) were compared directly after propensity score match to non-users, in aspects of various complications and clinical end-points.

RESULTS:

Among matched cohorts, Cannabis users were less likely to have the following: active fistulizing disease and intra-abdominal abscess (11.5% vs. 15.9%; aOR 0.68 [0.49 to 0.94], p = 0.025), blood product transfusion (5.0% vs. 8.0%; aOR 0.48 [0.30 to 0.79], p = 0.037), colectomy (3.7% vs. 7.5%; aOR 0.48 [0.29-0.80], p = 0.004), and parenteral nutrition requirement (3.4% vs. 6.7%, aOR 0.39 [0.23 to 0.68], p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION:

Cannabis use may mitigate several of the well-described complications of Crohn’s disease among hospital inpatients. These effects could possibly be through the effect of cannabis in the endocannabinoid system.

 

According to a 2013 study  published in the journal Pharmacology and by the National Institute of Health, cannabis is effective in treating Chron’s disease.

“In a prospective placebo-controlled study, it has been shown what has been largely anticipated from anecdotal reports, i.e. that cannabis produces significant clinical benefits in patients with Crohn’s disease. The mechanisms involved are not yet clear but most likely include peripheral actions on cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2, and may also include central actions.”

This study,  conducted by researchers at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology at the Medical University of Grazin Austria, can be found by clicking here.