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Marijuana Use in Patients with Symptoms of Gastroparesis: Prevalence, Patient Characteristics, and Perceived Benefit

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Abstract

Background

Marijuana may be used by some patients with gastroparesis (Gp) for its potential antiemetic, orexigenic, and pain-relieving effects.

Aims

The aim of this study was to describe the use of marijuana by patients for symptoms of Gp, assessing prevalence of use, patient characteristics, and patients’ perceived benefit on their symptoms of Gp.

Methods

Patients with symptoms of Gp underwent history and physical examination, gastric emptying scintigraphy, and questionnaires assessing symptoms. Patients were asked about the current use of medications and alternative medications including marijuana.

Results

Fifty-nine of 506 (11.7%) patients with symptoms of Gp reported current marijuana use, being similar among patients with delayed and normal gastric emptying and similar in idiopathic and diabetic patients. Patients using marijuana were younger, more often current tobacco smokers, less likely to be a college graduate, married or have income > $50,000. Patients using marijuana had higher nausea/vomiting subscore (2.7 vs 2.1; p = 0.002), higher upper abdominal pain subscore (3.5 vs 2.9; p = 0.003), more likely to be using promethazine (37 vs 25%; p = 0.05) and dronabinol (17 vs 3%; p < 0.0001). Of patients using marijuana, 51% had been using it for more than 2 years, 47% were using this once or more per day, and 81% of marijuana users rated their benefit from marijuana as better or much better.

Conclusions

A subset of patients (12%) with symptoms of Gp use marijuana. Patients with severe nausea and abdominal pain were more likely to use marijuana and perceive it to be beneficial for their symptoms.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01696747.

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Funding

The NIH/NIDDK Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (GpCRC) is supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (grants U01DK073975 [Parkman], U01DK073983 [Pasricha], U01DK074007 [Abell], U01DK073974 [Koch], U01DK074035 [McCallum], U01DK112193 [Kuo], and U01DK074008 [Tonascia]).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NIH Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Henry P. Parkman, Emily P. Sharkey, Linda A. Nguyen, Katherine P. Yates, Thomas L. Abell, William L. Hasler, William Snape, John Clarke, Ron Schey, Kenneth L. Koch, Braden Kuo, Richard W. McCallum, Irene Sarosiek, Madhusudan Grover, Gianrico Farrugia, James Tonascia & Pankaj J. Pasricha

Authors
  1. Henry P. Parkman
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  2. Emily P. Sharkey
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  3. Linda A. Nguyen
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  4. Katherine P. Yates
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  5. Thomas L. Abell
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  6. William L. Hasler
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  7. William Snape
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  8. John Clarke
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  9. Ron Schey
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  10. Kenneth L. Koch
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  11. Braden Kuo
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  12. Richard W. McCallum
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  13. Irene Sarosiek
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  14. Madhusudan Grover
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  15. Gianrico Farrugia
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  16. James Tonascia
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  17. Pankaj J. Pasricha
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Consortia

Frank A. Hamilton for the NIH Gastroparesis Consortium

Contributions

HPP was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, data interpretation, and writing of the manuscript; EPS contributed to the statistical analysis, data interpretation, and writing of the manuscript; LN was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; KY was involved in the statistical analysis, data interpretation, writing of the manuscript; TLA was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; WLH contributed to the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; WJS was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, revision of the manuscript; JC was involved in the patient recruitment and revision of the manuscript; RS contributed to the study conceptualization and revision of the manuscript; KLK was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; BK was involved in the patient recruitment and revision of the manuscript; RWM was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; IS was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; MG was involved in the study conceptualization and revision of the manuscript; GF was involved in the study conceptualization, revision of the manuscript; JT contributed to the study conceptualization, statistical analysis, data interpretation, and revision of the manuscript; PJP was involved in the study conceptualization, patient recruitment, and revision of the manuscript; FH contributed to the study conceptualization and revision of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Henry P. Parkman.

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Parkman, H.P., Sharkey, E.P., Nguyen, L.A. et al. Marijuana Use in Patients with Symptoms of Gastroparesis: Prevalence, Patient Characteristics, and Perceived Benefit. Dig Dis Sci 65, 2311–2320 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05963-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05963-2

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