Dataset Information

Cannabis withdrawal in chronic cannabis users with schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Chronic users of cannabis often report withdrawal symptoms after abstinence from use, but little is known about cannabis withdrawal in people with schizophrenia. METHODS:Cannabis use patterns and withdrawal symptoms in adults with schizophrenia who had at least weekly cannabis use before attempting to quit without formal treatment were assessed with the Marijuana Quit Questionnaire (MJQQ), a 176-item, semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS:120 participants, predominantly African-American (62.5%) and male (76.7%), met inclusion criteria. 20.1% reported that their first regular cannabis use (median age 15 years [range 8-48]) preceded their age at first psychotic symptoms (20 [4-50] years). Twenty (16.7%) participants met lifetime criteria for cannabis abuse; 98 (81.7%) met surrogate criteria for lifetime cannabis dependence. Withdrawal symptoms were reported by 113 (94.2%) participants, with 74.2% reporting ?4 symptoms. The most frequently reported withdrawal symptoms were craving for cannabis (59.2%), feeling anxious (52.57%), feeling bored (47.5%), feeling sad or depressed (45.8%), feeling irritable or jumpy (45.0%), feeling restless (43.3%), and trouble failing asleep (33.3%). One hundred-and-four (92.0%) participants took some action to relieve at least one of their withdrawal symptoms during their index-quit attempt, including 26 (23.0%) participants who reported resuming cannabis use. CONCLUSION:Cannabis withdrawal is a clinically significant feature of cannabis use among people with schizophrenia, may serve as a negative reinforcer for relapse, and deserves greater attention in treatment and research. Clinical Trials registration NCT00679016.

SUBMITTER: Boggs DL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3591813 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cannabis withdrawal in chronic cannabis users with schizophrenia.

Boggs Douglas L DL Kelly Deanna L DL Liu Fang F Linthicum Jared A JA Turner Hailey H Schroeder Jennifer R JR McMahon Robert P RP Gorelick David A DA

Journal of psychiatric research 20121110 2

<h4>Background</h4>Chronic users of cannabis often report withdrawal symptoms after abstinence from use, but little is known about cannabis withdrawal in people with schizophrenia.<h4>Methods</h4>Cannabis use patterns and withdrawal symptoms in adults with schizophrenia who had at least weekly cannabis use before attempting to quit without formal treatment were assessed with the Marijuana Quit Questionnaire (MJQQ), a 176-item, semi-structured questionnaire.<h4>Results</h4>120 participants, predo ...[more]

PMID: 23146560

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Project description:Background and aimsResearch from cohorts of individuals with recreational cannabis use indicates that cannabis withdrawal symptoms are reported by more than 40% of those using regularly. Withdrawal symptoms are not well understood in those who use cannabis for medical purposes. Therefore, we prospectively examined the stability of withdrawal symptoms in individuals using cannabis to manage chronic pain.Design, setting, participantsUsing latent class analysis (LCA) we examined baseline cannabis withdrawal to derive symptom profiles. Then, using latent transition analysis (LTA) we examined the longitudinal course of withdrawal symptoms across the time points. Exploratory analyses examined demographic and clinical characteristics predictive of withdrawal class and transitioning to more or fewer withdrawal symptoms over time. A cohort of 527 adults with chronic pain seeking medical cannabis certification or re-certification was recruited between February 2014 and June 2015. Participants were recruited from medical cannabis clinic waiting rooms in Michigan, USA. Participants were predominantly white (82%) and 49% identified as male, with an average age of 45.6 years (standard deviation = 12.8).MeasurementsBaseline, 12-month and 24-month assessments of withdrawal symptoms using the Marijuana Withdrawal Checklist-revised.FindingsA three-class LCA model including a mild (41%), moderate (34%) and severe (25%) symptom class parsimoniously represented withdrawal symptoms experienced by people using medical cannabis. Stability of withdrawal symptoms using a three-class LTA at 12 and 24 months ranged from 0.58 to 0.87, with the most stability in the mild withdrawal class. Younger age predicted greater severity and worsening of withdrawal over time.ConclusionsAdults with chronic pain seeking medical cannabis certification or re-certification appear to experience mild to severe withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms tend to be stable over a 2-year period, but younger age is predictive of worse symptoms and of an escalating withdrawal trajectory.

Project description:BackgroundChronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) may lead to reduced physical function and is the most common cause of chronic non-cancer pain. Currently, the pharmacotherapeutic options against CMP are limited and frequently consist of pain management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, gabapentinoids, or opioids, which carry major adverse effects. Although the effectiveness of medical cannabis (MC) for CMP still lacks solid evidence, several patients suffering from it are exploring this therapeutic option with their physicians.ObjectivesLittle is known about patients' perceptions of their MC treatment for CMP. We aimed to increase this knowledge, useful for healthcare professionals and patients considering this treatment, by conducting a scoping literature review, following guidance by Arksey and O'Malley, to describe the views and perceptions of adult patients who had consumed MC to relieve chronic CMP.MethodsDatabases (PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science) and websites were searched using combinations of controlled and free vocabulary. All studies and study designs reporting on patients' perceptions regarding MC against CMP were considered. Studies had to include adult patients reporting qualitatively or quantitatively, i.e., through questionnaires, on MC use to treat CMP or other non-cancer pain, since studies reporting exclusively on perceptions regarding CMP were very rare. Study characteristics were extracted and limitations of the study quality were assessed. The review includes patients' demographic characteristics, patterns of MC use, perceived positive and negative effects, use of alcohol or other drugs, reported barriers to CM use, and funding sources of the studies.ResultsParticipants of the 49 included studies reported that MC use helped them to reduce CMP and other chronic non-cancer pain, with only minor adverse effects, and some reported improved psychological well-being. In the included studies, men represent between 18 and 88% of the subjects. The mean age of participants in these studies (42/49) varied between 28.4 and 62.8 years old. The most common route of administration is inhalation.ConclusionMC users suffering from CMP or other chronic non-cancer pain perceived more benefits than harms. However, the information from these studies has several methodological limitations and results are exploratory. These user-reported experiences must thus be examined by well-designed and methodologically sound clinical or observational studies, particularly regarding CMP, where reports are very scarce.

Dataset Information

Cannabis withdrawal in chronic cannabis users with schizophrenia.

Publications

Cannabis withdrawal in chronic cannabis users with schizophrenia.

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