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 .
Dronabinol as a treatment for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS.
The effects of dronabinol on appetite and weight were evaluated in 139 patients with AIDS-related anorexia and > or = 2.3 kg weight loss in a multi-institutional study . Patients were r and omized to receive 2.5 mg dronabinol twice daily or placebo . Patients rated appetite , mood , and nausea by using a 100-mm visual analogue scale 3 days weekly . Efficacy was evaluable in 88 patients . Dronabinol was associated with increased appetite above baseline ( 38 % vs 8 % for placebo , P = 0.015 ) , improvement in mood ( 10 % vs -2 % , P = 0.06 ) , and decreased nausea ( 20 % vs 7 % ; P = 0.05 ) . Weight was stable in dronabinol patients , while placebo recipients had a mean loss of 0.4 kg ( P = 0.14 ) . Of the dronabinol patients , 22 % gained > or = 2 kg , compared with 10.5 % of placebo recipients ( P = 0.11 ) . Side effects were mostly mild to moderate in severity ( euphoria , dizziness , thinking abnormalities ) ; there was no difference in discontinued therapy between dronabinol ( 8.3 % ) and placebo ( 4.5 % ) recipients . Dronabinol was found to be safe and effective for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS
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 .