1
|
Yang EC, Koenig NA, Gong M, Brotto LA, Barr AM, Lee T, Yong PJ, Geoffrion R. Cannabis use preferences in women with myofascial pelvic pain: A cross-sectional study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol X 2023; 18:100192. [PMID: 37095765 PMCID: PMC10121619 DOI: 10.1016/j.eurox.2023.100192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Myofascial tenderness is present in most chronic pelvic pain conditions and causes significant distress to patients. Treatment is challenging and often not curative. Cannabis is often used for self-management of chronic pelvic pain. However, we do not know which concentrations and routes of administration are most acceptable to users. We aimed to investigate patterns and willingness of cannabis product use among both habitual users and non-users with myofascial pelvic pain (MPP), to inform therapeutic development. Study design We conducted a cross-sectional study of questionnaire responses from female patients with MPP from two tertiary pelvic pain centers. We aimed for a convenience sample of 100 responses with representation from both centers. Inclusion criteria were age over 18 with pelvic floor muscle tenderness on standard gynecologic examination. We collected information on demographics, pelvic pain history, cannabis use status, cannabis use preferences, validated opioid misuse risk assessment, and interest in using gynecologic cannabis products and used descriptive analyses. Results 77/135 (57 %) questionnaire respondents were cannabis users and 58 (43 %) were non-users. Most users consume cannabis daily, (48.1 %) orally (66.2 %) or by smoking (60.7 %), and rated cannabis as effective at relieving pelvic pain. 37/58 (63.8 %) non-cannabis users responded that they would be willing to use cannabis for pelvic pain. Lack of information and potential adverse effects were the most common reasons for unwillingness to use. Approximately 3 of 4 respondents were willing to try vaginal or vulvar application of cannabis products for pelvic pain. Conclusions This cross-sectional study describes cannabis use patterns in MPP patients. Topical vulvar and vaginal cannabis products are of strong interest to both cannabis users and non-users and warrant further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Yang
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Correspondence to: St. Paul’s Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suite 930, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 2K8.
| | | | - Merry Gong
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Terry Lee
- Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Paul J. Yong
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dahlgren MK, El-Abboud C, Lambros AM, Sagar KA, Smith RT, Gruber SA. A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause. Menopause 2022; 29:1028-1036. [PMID: 35917529 PMCID: PMC9422771 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Expanding access to legal cannabis has dovetailed with increased interest in medical cannabis (MC) use; however, there is a paucity of research examining MC use to alleviate menopause-related symptoms. This survey study assessed patterns of MC use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal individuals. METHODS Participants (perimenopausal, n = 131; postmenopausal, n = 127) completed assessments of menopause-related symptomatology and cannabis use, including modes of use, type of use, and menopause-related symptoms addressed by MC use. RESULTS Most participants reported current cannabis use (86.1%) and endorsed using MC for menopause-related symptoms (78.7%). The most common modes of use were smoking (84.3%) and edibles (78.3%), and the top menopause-related symptoms for MC use were sleep disturbance (67.4%) and mood/anxiety (46.1%). Relative to postmenopausal participants, perimenopausal participants reported significantly worse menopause-related symptomatology on the vasomotor and psychosocial subscales of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire ( P s ≤ 0.04), including greater burden of anxiety ( P = 0.01) and hot flash ( P = 0.04) symptoms. In addition, perimenopausal participants reported higher incidence of depression ( P = 0.03) and anxiety diagnoses ( P < 0.01), as well as increased use of MC to treat menopause-related mood/anxiety symptoms relative to postmenopausal participants ( P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that many individuals are currently using MC as an adjunctive treatment for menopause-related symptoms, particularly sleep disturbance and mood/anxiety. Future research should examine the impact of different MC use characteristics (e.g., cannabinoid profiles) on the efficacy of MC use for menopause-related symptoms. Increased severity and prevalence of mood and anxiety symptoms in perimenopausal participants suggest promising targets for clinical trials of cannabinoid-based therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Kathryn Dahlgren
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Celine El-Abboud
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
| | - Ashley M. Lambros
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
| | - Kelly A. Sagar
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rosemary T. Smith
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
| | - Staci A. Gruber
- From the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, McLean Hospital Imaging Center, Belmont, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sinclair J, Armour S, Akowuah JA, Proudfoot A, Armour M. "Should I Inhale?"-Perceptions, Barriers, and Drivers for Medicinal Cannabis Use amongst Australian Women with Primary Dysmenorrhoea: A Qualitative Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031536. [PMID: 35162564 PMCID: PMC8835209 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Objective: This study sought to investigate the perceptions, barriers, and drivers associated with medicinal cannabis use among Australian women with primary dysmenorrhea. A qualitative study via virtual focus groups involving 26 women experiencing regular, moderate, or greater menstrual pain explored categories including cost, associated stigma, current drug driving laws, community and workplace ethics, and geographical isolation within the context of patient access under current Australian laws and regulations. Results: A qualitative descriptive analysis identified that dissatisfaction with current management strategies such as over-the-counter analgesic usage was the key driver for wanting to use medicinal cannabis. A number of significant barriers to use were identified including patient access to medical prescribers, medical practitioner bias, current drug driving laws, geographic location, and cost. Community and cultural factors such as the history of cannabis as an illicit drug and the resulting stigma, even when prescribed by a medical doctor, still existed and was of concern to our participants. Conclusion: Whilst medicinal cannabis is legal in all states and territories within Australia, several barriers to access exist that require government regulatory attention to assist in increasing patient adoption, including possible subsidisation of cost. The high cost of legal, medicinal cannabis was a key factor in women’s choice to use illicit cannabis. Overall, the concerns raised by our participants are consistent with the broader findings of a recent Australian Senate inquiry report into barriers to patient access to medicinal cannabis in Australia, suggesting many of the issues are systematic rather than disease-specific. Given the interest in use of medicinal cannabis amongst women with primary dysmenorrhea, clinical trials in this area are urgently needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin Sinclair
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2571, Australia; (S.A.); (A.P.)
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (M.A.); Tel.: +61-414679635 (J.S.)
| | - Susanne Armour
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2571, Australia; (S.A.); (A.P.)
| | - Jones Asafo Akowuah
- Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 0233, Ghana;
| | - Andrew Proudfoot
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2571, Australia; (S.A.); (A.P.)
| | - Mike Armour
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2571, Australia; (S.A.); (A.P.)
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2571, Australia
- Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ), Wellington 6012, New Zealand
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (M.A.); Tel.: +61-414679635 (J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chernek BA, Skelton KR. Attitudes Toward Cannabis Use During Labor in the United States. WOMEN'S HEALTH REPORTS 2022; 3:124-130. [PMID: 35136884 PMCID: PMC8812495 DOI: 10.1089/whr.2021.0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Little is known about women's attitudes toward cannabis use during labor. We aim to address this gap by (1) reporting on attitudes toward cannabis use during labor, including cannabis use during most recent childbirth; and (2) examining the extent to which attitudes, willingness to use cannabis during labor, and cannabis use during most recent childbirth vary across state-level cannabis policies. Methods: In Spring 2021, we recruited biological women of reproductive age (18–40 years) for an online survey. We collected sociodemographic information and asked women about their attitudes toward cannabis use during labor, willingness to use cannabis during labor, and prior cannabis use during most recent childbirth. We ran descriptive statistics and used Fisher's exact tests to examine the association between state cannabis policies and attitudes toward cannabis use during labor, including willingness to use cannabis during labor. Results: In our sample (N = 163), most women reported they would either consider using (47.85%) or previously used (3.07%) cannabis during labor. Compared with women who would not use, women who reported willingness to use or prior use of cannabis during labor were more likely to report a lower annual household income (p = 0.001) and education level (p < 0.001). Women willing to consider cannabis use were also more likely to report prenatal cannabis use (p < 0.001) and reside in a state with recreational cannabis legalization (p = 0.003). Women who would not consider using cannabis during labor were more likely to perceive one or more risks of use compared with women who would consider using cannabis during labor (90.00% vs. 72.29%, respectively; p = 0.005). In fully illegal states, 66% of women reported they would be more likely to use cannabis during labor if it were legal. Conclusions: Future research is urgently needed to guide clinical practice. To mitigate adverse health outcomes, prenatal care providers should discuss cannabis use during labor with their patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A. Chernek
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Health Professions, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Kara R. Skelton
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Health Professions, Towson, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mistry M, Simpson P, Morris E, Fritz AK, Karavadra B, Lennox C, Prosser-Snelling E. Cannabidiol for the Management of Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2021; 29:169-176. [PMID: 34839061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2021.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the available literature on the effect of cannabis-based products on the female reproductive system and establish if there is any evidence that they benefit or harm patients with endometriosis and therefore if there is sufficient evidence to recommend them. DATA SOURCES An electronic-based search was performed in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Database. Reference lists of articles retrieved were reviewed and a grey literature search was also performed. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION The original database search yielded 264 articles from PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Database, of which forty-one were included. One hundred and sixty-one studies relating to gynaecological malignancy, conditions unrelated to endometriosis or therapies unrelated to cannabis-based products were excluded. Twelve articles were included from a grey literature search and review of references. RESULTS The majority of available evidence is from laboratory studies aiming to simulate the effects of cannabis-based products on preclinical endometriosis models. Some show evidence of benefit with cannabis-based products. However, results are conflicting and the impact in humans cannot necessarily be extrapolated from this data. Few studies exist looking at the effect of cannabis or its derived products in women with endometriosis - the majority are in the form of surveys and are affected by bias. National guidance was also reviewed: at present this dictates that cannabis-based products can only be prescribed for conditions where there is clear published evidence of benefit and only when all other treatment options have been exhausted. CONCLUSION Current treatment options for endometriosis often affect fertility and/or have undesirable side effects that impede long-term management. Cannabis-based products have been suggested as a novel therapeutic option that may circumvent these issues. However, there is a paucity of well-designed, robust studies and randomised controlled trials looking at their use in the treatment of endometriosis. In addition, cannabis use has a potential for harm in the long term; with a possible association with 'cannabis use disorder', psychosis and mood disturbances. At present, national guidance cannot recommend cannabis-based products to patients in the UK due to lack of clear evidence of benefit. More comprehensive research into the impact of endocannabinoids in the context of endometriosis is required before their use can be recommended or prescribed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megha Mistry
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK
| | - Paul Simpson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK.
| | - Edward Morris
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK
| | - Ann-Katrin Fritz
- Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK
| | - Babu Karavadra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK
| | - Carole Lennox
- Department of Anaesthesia, Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford, RM7 0AG, UK
| | - Ed Prosser-Snelling
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NR4 7UY, UK
| |
Collapse
|