Contributions
Abstract: EP1689
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Symptomatic treatment
Introduction: In Denmark cannabis is illegal for recreational use and the criteria for physicians to prescribe cannabinoids for neuropathic pain and spasticity to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are very rigorous, why few patients are offered this treatment.
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, benefits and side effects of medical and recreational use of cannabis among MS patients.
Design: Cross-sectional survey in Denmark.
Methods: All patients at the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (DMSC), Copenhagen University Hospital, were sent an anonymous web-based questionnaire. The 38-items questionnaire included questions about sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, disability status, pain, spasticity and medical or recreational cannabis use.
Results: Questionnaires were completed by 1411/3606 (39.1%) and included 1338 (94.8%) patients with MS. Forty-nine percent had used cannabis at least once and of these 78% used cannabis in form of hashish or hash oil. Cannabis was used on a daily basis by 9.4% (133/1411). Only 10% of the cannabis users received prescribed cannabis-based medicine. The primary reason for cannabis use was to alleviate MS symptoms such as pain (73 %), spasticity (62%) and sleep disturbances (59%). Reasons for recreational use included pleasure (42%) and party (29%). The most common side effects were drowsiness (37%), feeling quiet/subdued (28%) and balance problems (16%). Three percent had hallucinations when using cannabis. Almost half (45%) of the non-cannabis users would use cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms if the drug were legalized.
Conclusion: MS patients primarily used cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms such as pain, spasticity and sleep disturbances. Only 10 % of the cannabis users received prescribed cannabis-based medicine, which indicates that cannabis is often used without supervision by a physician and that illegal use is common. Furthermore, around half of the non-cannabis users would use cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms if the drug were legalized.
Disclosure: A.B. Oturai: Has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec, Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme, received research support from Novartis and Biogen Idec, received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and TEVA and received support for congress participation from Merck, TEVA, Biogen, Roche, Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme.
F. Sellebjerg: Has served on scientific advisory boards, been on the steering committees of clinical trials, served as a consultant, received support for congress participation, received speaker honoraria, or received research support for his laboratory from Biogen, EMD Serono, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme and Teva.
P. S. Sørensen: Has received personal compensation for serving on scientific advisory boards, steering committees or independent data monitoring boards for Biogen, Merck, Novartis, TEVA, GlaxoSmithKline, MedDay Pharmaceuticals, Genzyme, Celgene, and Forward Pharma and has received speaker honoraria from Biogen, Merck, Teva, Genzyme, and Novartis; and his department has received research support from Biogen, Merck, TEVA, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis/Genzyme, RoFAR, and Roche.
S.R. Andresen: Nothing to disclose.
H.B. Søndergaard: Has received support for congress participation from Biogen Idec, Genzyme and Teva.
S. Gustavsen: Has received support for congress participation from Merck.
Abstract: EP1689
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Symptomatic treatment
Introduction: In Denmark cannabis is illegal for recreational use and the criteria for physicians to prescribe cannabinoids for neuropathic pain and spasticity to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are very rigorous, why few patients are offered this treatment.
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, benefits and side effects of medical and recreational use of cannabis among MS patients.
Design: Cross-sectional survey in Denmark.
Methods: All patients at the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (DMSC), Copenhagen University Hospital, were sent an anonymous web-based questionnaire. The 38-items questionnaire included questions about sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, disability status, pain, spasticity and medical or recreational cannabis use.
Results: Questionnaires were completed by 1411/3606 (39.1%) and included 1338 (94.8%) patients with MS. Forty-nine percent had used cannabis at least once and of these 78% used cannabis in form of hashish or hash oil. Cannabis was used on a daily basis by 9.4% (133/1411). Only 10% of the cannabis users received prescribed cannabis-based medicine. The primary reason for cannabis use was to alleviate MS symptoms such as pain (73 %), spasticity (62%) and sleep disturbances (59%). Reasons for recreational use included pleasure (42%) and party (29%). The most common side effects were drowsiness (37%), feeling quiet/subdued (28%) and balance problems (16%). Three percent had hallucinations when using cannabis. Almost half (45%) of the non-cannabis users would use cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms if the drug were legalized.
Conclusion: MS patients primarily used cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms such as pain, spasticity and sleep disturbances. Only 10 % of the cannabis users received prescribed cannabis-based medicine, which indicates that cannabis is often used without supervision by a physician and that illegal use is common. Furthermore, around half of the non-cannabis users would use cannabis to alleviate MS symptoms if the drug were legalized.
Disclosure: A.B. Oturai: Has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec, Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme, received research support from Novartis and Biogen Idec, received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and TEVA and received support for congress participation from Merck, TEVA, Biogen, Roche, Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme.
F. Sellebjerg: Has served on scientific advisory boards, been on the steering committees of clinical trials, served as a consultant, received support for congress participation, received speaker honoraria, or received research support for his laboratory from Biogen, EMD Serono, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme and Teva.
P. S. Sørensen: Has received personal compensation for serving on scientific advisory boards, steering committees or independent data monitoring boards for Biogen, Merck, Novartis, TEVA, GlaxoSmithKline, MedDay Pharmaceuticals, Genzyme, Celgene, and Forward Pharma and has received speaker honoraria from Biogen, Merck, Teva, Genzyme, and Novartis; and his department has received research support from Biogen, Merck, TEVA, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis/Genzyme, RoFAR, and Roche.
S.R. Andresen: Nothing to disclose.
H.B. Søndergaard: Has received support for congress participation from Biogen Idec, Genzyme and Teva.
S. Gustavsen: Has received support for congress participation from Merck.