Medical cannabis use by rheumatology patients in routine clinical care: results from The Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative
Authors' conclusion
Medical cannabis use among rheumatology patients in Ontario was two-fold higher than that reported for the general population of similar age.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive adult patients attending eight rheumatology clinics in Ontario; most had RA (37.8%) or OA (34.0%)
- Participants
- 799 patients8 rheumatology clinics
- Exposure
- Current/past medical cannabis users vs never users
- Current/past-usersn = 163
- Never usersn = 636reference
- Outcome
- Prevalence of medical cannabis use
Methodological detailssurvey, multicentre, consecutive recruitment, Student's t-test and Chi-square test, 3-part survey: rheumatologists, all patients, medical cannabis users
- Survey
- Multicentre
- Consecutive recruitment
- Student's t-test and Chi-square test
- 3-part survey: rheumatologists, all patients, medical cannabis users
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Medical cannabis use (current or within <2 years)
Current/past-users
20.4%
163
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Current/past-users | Never users | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician global score | 2.9 | 2.1 | P < 0.0001 |
| Patient global score | 6.0 | 4.2 | P < 0.0001 |
| Pain | 6.2 | 4.7 | P < 0.0001 |
| Medical cannabis at least somewhat effective (users) | 78.2% | — not stated in the abstract |
— not stated in the abstract
Characteristics of users vs never users
- Users younger; more likely to take opioids/anti-depressants, have psychiatric/gastrointestinal disorders and have used recreational cannabis
- P < 0.05
Symptoms treated with medical cannabis (users)
- Pain
- 95.5%
- Sleeping
- 82.3%
- Anxiety
- 58.9%
Rheumatologists' perceptions
- Most rheumatologists uncomfortable to authorise medical cannabis, primarily due to lack of evidence, knowledge and product standardisation
Original publication
Medical cannabis use by rheumatology patients in routine clinical care: results from The Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 18 February 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →