Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with cannabinoids but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials .
There was an increased risk of short-term AEs with cannabinoids , including serious AEs .
Common AEs included dizziness , dry mouth , nausea , fatigue , somnolence , euphoria , vomiting , disorientation , drowsiness , confusion , loss of balance , and hallucination .
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was moderate- quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity .
There was low- quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy , weight gain in HIV infection , sleep disorders , and Tourette syndrome .
Cannabinoids were associated with an increased risk of short-term AEs
IMPORTANCE Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms , but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events ( AEs ) of cannabinoids .
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group study of THC/CBD spray in peripheral neuropathic pain treatment.
BACKGROUND Peripheral neuropathic pain ( PNP ) associated with allodynia poses a significant clinical challenge . The efficacy of Δ(9 ) -tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol ( THC/CBD ) oromucosal spray , a novel cannabinoid formulation , was investigated in this 15-week r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled parallel group study . METHODS In total , 303 patients with PNP associated with allodynia were screened ; 128 were r and omized to THC/CBD spray and 118 to placebo , in addition to their current analgesic therapy . The co- primary efficacy endpoints were the 30 % responder rate in PNP 0 - 10 numerical rating scale ( NRS ) score and the mean change from baseline to the end of treatment in this score . Various key secondary measures of pain and functioning were also investigated . RESULTS At the 30 % responder level , there were statistically significant treatment differences in favour of THC/CBD spray in the full analysis ( intention-to-treat ) data set [ p = 0.034 ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 1.05 - 3.70 ] . There was also a reduction in mean PNP 0 - 10 NRS scores in both treatment groups that was numerically higher in the THC/CBD spray group , but which failed to reach statistical significance . Secondary measures of sleep quality 0 - 10 NRS score ( p = 0.0072 ) and Subject Global Impression of Change ( SGIC ) ( p = 0.023 ) also demonstrated statistically significant treatment differences in favour of THC/CBD spray treatment . CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that , in a meaningful proportion of otherwise treatment-resistant patients , clinical ly important improvements in pain , sleep quality and SGIC of the severity of their condition are obtained with THC/CBD spray . THC/CBD spray was well tolerated and no new safety concerns were identified
Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with cannabinoids but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials .
There was an increased risk of short-term AEs with cannabinoids , including serious AEs .
Common AEs included dizziness , dry mouth , nausea , fatigue , somnolence , euphoria , vomiting , disorientation , drowsiness , confusion , loss of balance , and hallucination .
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was moderate- quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity .
There was low- quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy , weight gain in HIV infection , sleep disorders , and Tourette syndrome .
Cannabinoids were associated with an increased risk of short-term AEs
IMPORTANCE Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms , but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events ( AEs ) of cannabinoids .