Study register / Neurology / Dystonia

Dystonia

1 curated study · 1 key study · mechoulam.de

For dystonia, only a few controlled trials exist so far, and they showed no reduction in symptoms with cannabis-based medicines. According to the current evidence, a benefit is not demonstrated.

Rating scheme

The letter rates the quality of a study, independently of its type. Every study type can receive any grade: a review can be B or C when it is small or weak, and an RCT can be S. The grade is a synthesis of study design, journal authority and clinical bindingness:

S
Highest evidence, large, methodologically first-rate studies or S3 guidelines
A
Strong evidence, solid, meaningful studies with a clear result
B
Moderate evidence, smaller or methodologically limited studies
C
Weak evidence, preliminary, indirect or contradictory findings
D
Lowest evidence, exploratory hints, single cases or expert opinion

Quality profile per study

To the left of each study there is a profile of four features, it shows the differences within a letter class.

Sample size ★
Number of participants (RCT) or included studies (review).
Blinding
Double-blind, single-blind or open-label.
Effect size
Clear benefit, mixed, no benefit or harm.
Citations / year ★
Age-adjusted citation frequency.

Key studies

1
  1. 01
    B
    Randomized controlled trials on the use of cannabis-based medicines in movement disorders: a systematic review.
    Oikonomou et al. ·2022 ·Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria
    Read

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Syntheses of RCT evidence following Cochrane and PRISMA standards.

1
B
Sample size ★★★★★
Blinding —
Effect size Mixed
Citations / year ★★★★★
● Key study
Oikonomou et al. ·2022 ·Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria
15 citations

Randomized controlled trials on the use of cannabis-based medicines in movement disorders: a systematic review.

Design
Systematic Review
Sample
k = 2 Studien
Key finding

Cannabinoids show mixed results in RCTs on movement disorders: improvements in quality of life, anxiety and tics in some studies, but no consistent improvements in motor symptoms in Parkinson's or dystonia.

Summary

Systematic review of RCTs with cannabis-based medicines in movement disorders; for dystonia: k=2 RCTs included, NO reduction in dystonia symptoms shown. Further findings on Parkinson's (7 RCTs), Tourette (2 RCTs with improvement), Huntington's (3 RCTs, only 1 positive with nabilone). Inhomogeneous, small studies; no reliable conclusions possible.

DOI 10.1007/s00702-022-02529-x ↗