Study register · detailKohortenstudie · Multiple Sclerosis · 2023
Characterizing cannabis use in a sample of adults with multiple sclerosis and chronic pain: An observational study.
Link et al.·Multiple sclerosis and related disordersImpact 2.2
UnclearGRADELow9 citations
Samplen = 242 Pat.
DurationBaseline cross-sectional…
EndpointPrevalence of cannabis use
Blindingn.a.
DesignKohortenstudie
”Key finding
Descriptive characterization: cannabis users (27% of the sample) were younger and reported higher pain intensity, higher pain interference and higher neuropathic pain scores than non-users; no intervention effect measured.
Summary
Baseline cross-sectional analysis from an RCT on chronic pain in MS, n=242. Cannabis prevalence 27% (n=65); most common form of administration: oil/tincture (42%), followed by vaporization (22%) and edibles (17%). Cannabis users significantly younger (median 51 vs. 55 years, p=0,019), higher pain intensity (median 6,0 vs. 5,0, p=0,022), higher pain interference (median 5,9 vs. 5,4, p=0,027) and higher neuropathic pain (median 20,0 vs. 16,0, p=0,001).
P
PopulationAdults with multiple sclerosis and chronic pain, n=242
I
InterventionCannabis use for pain therapy (oil/tincture, vaporization, edibles, among others) – observation of the actual status
O
Outcome27% of participants used cannabis; cannabis users were younger (median 51 vs. 55 years, p=.019), had higher pain intensity (6,0 vs. 5,0, p=.022), higher pain interference (5,9 vs. 5,4, p=.027) and stronger neuropathic pain (20,0 vs. 16,0, p=.001)
Confidence in the evidence
Very lowLowModerateHigh
Low
The second of four GRADE levels, the effect estimate is of limited reliability.
Background: Although cannabis has become an increasingly common method for pain management among people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), there is a dearth of knowledge regarding the types of cannabis products used as well as the characteristics of cannabis users. The current study aimed to (1) describe the prevalence of cannabis use and the routes of administration of cannabis products in adults with an existing chronic pain condition and MS, (2) to examine differences in demographic and disease-related variables between cannabis users and non-users, and (3) to examine differences between cannabis users and non-users in pain-related variables, including pain intensity, pain interference, neuropathic pain, pain medication use, and pain-related coping.
Methods: Secondary analysis of baseline data from participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic pain (N = 242) enrolled in an RCT comparing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and usual care for chronic pain. Statistical methods included t-tests, Mann-Whitney tests, chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests to assess for differences in demographic, disease-related, and pain-related variables between cannabis users and non-users.
Results: Of the 242 participants included in the sample, 65 (27%) reported the use of cannabis for pain management. The most common route of administration was oil/tincture (reported by 42% of cannabis users), followed by vaped (22%) and edible (17%) products. Cannabis users were slightly younger than non-users (Med(age) 51.0 vs 55.0, p = .019) and reported higher median pain intensity scores (6.0 vs 5.0, p = .022), higher median pain interference scores (5.9 vs 5.4, p = .027), and higher median levels of neuropathic pain (20.0 vs 16.0, p = .001).
Conclusions: The current study identified factors that may intersect with cannabis use for pain management and adds to our current knowledge of the types of cannabis products used by PwMS. Future research should continue to investigate trends in cannabis use for pain management, especially as the legality and availability of products continue to shift. Additionally, longitudinal studies are needed to examine the effects of cannabis use on pain-related outcomes over time.