Table 12 Various conditions
From: Benefits and harms of medical cannabis: a scoping review of systematic reviews
Author, year | Search dates; # databases searched | Funding source | Nstudies | Illness/condition | Intervention/comparator* | Outcomes | Conclusions from data | AMSTAR-2 rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kim, 201797 | Inception–apr 2017; 3 | Non-profit | 24 | Dystonia, HD, PD, Tourette syndrome, AD, dementia, ALS, psychosis, schizophrenia, anxiety | I: Plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoids C: Placebo; diazepam; amisulpride | • Weight gain • Anti-anxiety • CGI-C • Clinical improvements • Disturbed behavior • Sleep outcomes • Chorea outcomes • Dyskinesia • Motor symptoms • QoL • Tics • OCD behavior • Withdrawal due to adverse effects | Favors intervention for anti-anxiety effects; reported SBS for all other outcomes (vs. diazepam, placebo or amisulpride) | M |
Goldenberg, 2017 [30] | To 2015; 4 | No funding | 20 | Fibromyalgia, HIV, IBD, pain, MS, headache, cramps, cancer-related anorexia, traumatic brain injury | I: Plant-based and plant-derived cannabinoids C: Various combined (non-users, placebo, ibuprofen) | • QoL | No statistically significant difference between groups | L |
Fitzcharles, 2016 [36] | To Apr 30, 2015; 2 | NR | 4 | Various conditions (chronic spinal pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia) | I: All types of cannabinoids C: Placebo or amitriptyline | • Pain • Anxiety • QoL • Fatigue • Depression • Withdrawal due to AEs • Total AEs | Favors intervention for pain (vs. placebo); no statistically significant difference between groups for anxiety, QoL, fatigue, and depression; reported SBS for withdrawal due to AEs and total AEs. Only a single study included comparing cannabinoids to amitriptyline. | M |
Whiting, 2015 [43] | Inception to between Apr 2014 and Apr 2015; 8 | Government | 79 | Various conditions: cancer (chemo-induced nausea and vomiting), appetite stimulation for HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity in MS or paraplegia, depression, anxiety disorder, sleep disorder, psychosis, intraocular pressure in glaucoma, Tourette syndrome | I: All types of cannabinoids C: Placebo | • NP • Cancer pain • Nausea and vomiting • QoL • Spasticity • Walking speed • Activities of daily living • CGI-C • Spasticity (various measures) • Sleep outcomes • Any AEs • Serious AEs • Withdrawal due to AEs | Mixed results based on how pain is measured (3 MAs favor intervention for NRS scores, patients CGI-C, and NP Scale and 2 show no statistically significant difference between groups for pain reduction ≥ 30% NRS or VAS and BPI-S); favors intervention for nausea and vomiting, spasticity (NRS or VAS), sleep quality, and CGI-C; no statistically significant difference between groups for QoL, 30% or 50% reduction in spasticity NRS, Ashworth score, ADL, sleep disturbance, any AEs, serious AEs, and withdrawal due to AEs | M |
Gates, 2014 [46] | NR; 8 | NR | 28 | Various (pain, MS, anorexia, cancer, immune deficiency) | I: Cannabinoids (not specified) C: NR; experimental drugs | • Impact on sleep • Subjective measures of sleep • Objective measures of sleep • Effect of dose on sleep | Favors intervention for impact on sleep, insufficient evidence for subjective measure of sleep (vs. experimental drugs), reported SBS for objective measures of sleep, and effect of dose on sleep | L |
van den Elsen, 2014 [47] | To Oct 7, 2013; 4 | Government | 5 | AD, PD, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and vomiting, COPD | I: Plant-based and synthetic cannabinoids C: Placebo; Prochlorperazine | • Dyskinesia • Breathlessness • Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting • Behavioral problems • Weight gain • Triceps skinfold thickness | Reported SBS | M |
Lynch, 2011 [52] | Search run between Sept 7 and Oct 7 2010 and not limited by date; 11 | NR | 18 | Chronic pain, fibromyalgia, HIV, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, brachial plexus avulsion, spinal cord or brachial plexus injury, limb amputation | I: All types of cannabinoids C: Placebo; dihydrocodeine | • Central NP • Central pain • NP • Analgesia • Spasticity-related pain • FM pain • Allodynia • Hyperalgesia • Sensory Neuropathy • Spinal pain • Sleep • RA Disease Activity • Activities of daily living • FIQ | Favors intervention for all types of pain combined and sleep. Favors control for activities of daily living. Reported SBS for NP (vs. dihydrocodeine) | L |
Wang, 2008 [61] | MEDLINE: Jan 1966 to week 5 of Oct 2007; PsycINFO: Jan 1967 to week 5 of Oct 2007; and EMBASE: Jan 1980 to week 42 of 2007; 3 | Government | 31 | Various (looking at adverse events) | I: Plant-derived cannabinoids C: Placebo; standard care | • Serious adverse events • Death rate • Rate of non-serious adverse events • Average rate of non-serious adverse events | Favors intervention for rate and average rate of non-serious adverse events, except in the case of THC:CBD vs. standard care (no significant difference between groups). No statistically significant difference between groups for serious adverse events and death rate. | L |
CADTH, 2011 [6] | Jan 1 2010 to Sept 18, 2015; 4 | NR | 5 | PTSD, FM, chronic pain, spasticity-related pain, MS, peripheral NP, SCI | I: Synthetic cannabinoids C: Placebo, placebo + gabapentin | • Recurring/distressing dreams—PTSD scale • General wellbeing questionnaire • CGI-C • Pain • Peripheral NP • Quality of sleep • Spasticity | Only one study included | L |