Dronabinol use in France between 2004 and 2017.

Rev Neurol (Paris)

Department of neurology, hôpital Central, Nancy university hospital, CHRU, 29, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny CO n(o)34, 54035 Nancy cedex, France; EA 4360 Apemac, université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France.

Published: May 2019

Objectives: To investigate prescription practices for dronabinol, a pure extract of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, prescribed for refractory chronic pain in France since 2004.

Design: A descriptive study based on answers to a questionnaire sent to dronabinol prescribers throughout metropolitan France between June and July 2017.

Main Outcomes Measures: We assessed the type of prescribers including place of work (hospital, clinic or private practice) and their specialty. We also collected information about the patient profiles, diseases or symptoms initiating dronabinol prescription, its efficacy and side effects.

Results: We received completed questionnaires from 26 prescribers in 17 different areas throughout 12 regions. This represented a total of 191 patients of the 377 indexed since 1st January 2006: the sex ratio was 1:1, with an average age of 51 years for men and of 45 for women. The reason for dronabinol prescription was: multiple sclerosis (49.7%); central neuropathic pain from other causes (36.6%); peripheral neuropathic pain (8%); Parkinson's disease (2.9%); and other causes (around 1%). The duration of dronabinol treatment ranged from 1 month to 6 years and the dose from 2.5mg to 30mg per day (in one or several intakes). 59% of the patients declared experiencing a 30 to 50% reduction in pain.

Conclusion: This first investigation into dronabinol in France underlines the need to further investigate prescription practices and efficacy so as to define conditions of good use and the place of dronabinol in pain management.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neurol.2018.07.011DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

dronabinol
8
dronabinol france
8
investigate prescription
8
prescription practices
8
dronabinol prescription
8
neuropathic pain
8
france 2004
4
2004 2017
4
2017 objectives
4
objectives investigate
4

Similar Publications

Exposure to Secondhand Cannabis Smoke Among Children.

JAMA Netw Open

January 2025

Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego.

Importance: The degree that in-home cannabis smoking can be detected in the urine of resident children is unclear.

Objective: Test association of in-home cannabis smoking with urinary cannabinoids in children living at home.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used baseline data from Project Fresh Air, a 2012-2016 randomized clinical trial to reduce fine particulate matter levels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Future breeding and selection of Cannabis sativa L. for both drug production and industrial purposes require a source of germplasm with wide genetic variation, such as that found in wild relatives and progenitors of highly cultivated plants. Limited directional selection and breeding have occurred in this crop, especially informed by molecular markers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prenatal cannabis use is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits, likely due to exposure to the psychoactive cannabinoid, (-)-Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol, and its active metabolite, (±)-11-OH-Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol. To determine causality, preclinical studies mimicking human fetal cannabinoid exposure must be conducted. Here we show cannabinoid concentrations across gestation in maternal plasma and paired fetal tissues in trimester 1 and 2 and maternal plasma and fetal umbilical venous plasma in trimester 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Impact of dronabinol shortage on a population of chronic pain patients: A retrospective observational study].

Therapie

January 2025

Service de pharmacie clinique, pôle 8 cancérologie et spécialités médicales, centre hospitalier de Valenciennes, 59300 Valenciennes, France.

Objective: A supply shortage of dronabinol occurred between December 2023 and February 2024, forcing chronic pain patients to discontinue this treatment. We assessed the impact of this shortage on patients in our hospital.

Method: A retrospective observational study of patients treated with dronabinol was conducted.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs, and yet an understanding of its impact on the human brain and body is inconclusive. Medicinal and recreational use of cannabis has increased in the last decade with a concomitant increase in use by pregnant women. The major psychoactive compound in cannabis, Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), exists in different isomers, with the (-) trans isomer most common.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!