Cannabis used in painful sensory neuropathy associated with HIV
- Between 2003 and 2005, research was conducted on patients suffering from HIV and neuropathic pain and the effects of medical cannabis.
- The results confirmed that marijuana relieves pain in these two diseases.
Goals
To determine the effect of cannabis smoking on neuropathic pain of sensory neuropathy associated with HIV and experimental pain model.
Methods
A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted at the Inpatient Clinical Research Center from May 2003 to May 2005.
The study included adults with painful sensory neuropathy associated with HIV. Patients were randomly assigned to either cannabis (3.56% tetrahydrocannabinol) or identical placebo cigarettes, with cannabinoids extracted three times daily for 5 days.
Primary results included a chronic pain rating and 30% reduction in pain intensity. Acute analgesic and anti-hyperalgesic effects of cannabis smoking have been evaluated using a cut-off thermal stimulation procedure and a heat / capsaicin sensitization model.
Results
Fifty patients completed the study. Cannabis smoking reduced daily pain by 34% (median reduction, IQR = -71, -16) versus 17% (IQR = -29.8) with placebo (p = 0.03). Pain reduction of more than 30% has been reported in the cannabis group by 52% and 24% in the placebo group (p = 0.04).
The first cannabis cigarette reduced chronic pain by an average of 34% (median reduction, IQR = -71, -16) versus 17% (IQR = -29.8) with placebo (p = 0.03).
Pain reduction of more than 30% was observed in the cannabis group by 52% and in the placebo group by 24% (p = 0.04). The first cannabis cigarette reduced chronic pain by a median of 72% vs 15% in placebo (p <0.001). Marijuana reduced experimentally induced hyperalgesia to von Frey's hair stimuli (p & lt; = 0.05), but seemed to have little effect on the pain of deleterious thermal stimulation. No serious side effects have been reported.
Conclusion
Marijuana smoking was well tolerated and effectively alleviated chronic neuropathic pain induced by HIV-associated sensory neuropathy . These findings are comparable to oral drugs used for chronic neuropathic pain.