The following is a summary of “Cannabis Use Patterns and Whole-Blood Cannabinoid Profiles of Emergency Department Patients With Suspected Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome,” published in the August 2023 issue of Emergency Medicine by Wightman et al.

The primary aims of this study were to assess and describe the specific patterns of cannabis usage (such as frequency, method, and type of product) and to analyze the variations in the cannabinoid profiles found in whole-blood samples between symptomatic and asymptomatic periods in individuals suspected to have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. These participants were recruited from the emergency department while experiencing symptoms associated with the syndrome. This prospective observational cohort study involves individuals presenting with symptomatic cyclic vomiting following prolonged cannabis usage. Medical assessments were performed to assess for lifetime and recent cannabis consumption, cannabis use disorder, and symptoms of cannabis withdrawal. Quantitative whole-blood cannabinoid analysis was conducted on two occasions.

The first assessment was carried out during the symptomatic phase, also known as the baseline. The second evaluation occurred at least two weeks after the emergency department visit when the individual was asymptomatic. The disparities in cannabinoid concentrations were assessed between patients exhibiting symptoms and those without symptoms during the testing process. The investigation was carried out from September 2021 to August 2022 in a medical context. A disparity was noted in the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites, while the primary compound remained unchanged during episodes displaying symptoms and periods without symptoms.

Most participants (84%) reported utilizing cannabis more than once daily (with a median frequency of 3 times per day on weekdays and 4 times per day on weekends). The prevalence of hazardous cannabis use was observed in all participants, with an average cannabis withdrawal discomfort score of 13, indicating the presence of clinically significant cannabis withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of use. Most participants (79%) had previously attempted to cease cannabis consumption, while a minority (13%) had actively pursued medical intervention for their condition. Patients presenting to the emergency department with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome exhibit elevated scores in cannabis use disorder assessments. Additional research is required to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of THC metabolism and concentrations on symptomatic cyclic vomiting.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196064423001798