Clinical trial NCT05581368: Studying the Effects of Cannabis on Vasculature
Official title: Elucidating the Effects of Cannabis on Cardiovascular System
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases
Inflammation
Atherosclerosis
Lead sponsor: London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario
name: Canadian Cardiovascular Society
name: Stanford University
name: Greenstone Biosciences
First posted: 2022-10-14
Enrollment: 100
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 19
Maximum age (years): 80
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: The investigators plan to recruit participants from the London Health Sciences Centre HIV clinic and chronic pain clinic who use cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Brief summary: Cannabis is commonly used globally. It is associated with psychiatric problems, but the effects on the cardiovascular system are unclear. In this project, the investigators plan to study the effects of cannabis on the cardiovascular system. This will be done by using a non-invasive test to measure blood vessel function and by using blood samples to measure inflammation. As a control for this project, the investigators would like to test the blood vessel function and inflammation levels of participants who do not use cannabis. This study will provide important information on the long term cardiovascular effects of cannabis.

Detailed description: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in the world, but the investigators do not know the long-term effects on the cardiovascular system in humans. The investigators have data from cell culture and small animal studies that cannabis is toxic to the cardiovascular system. Recently legalized in Canada, the long-term effects of cannabis use on the cardiovascular system may not be apparent for several decades. The purpose of this study is to test the effect of cannabis use on the vascular system. Using a non-invasive test of vascular function, the investigators would like to assess the effects of cannabis on chronic cannabis users. The investigators would also like to test if cannabis use by smoking and/or vaping causes adverse cardiovascular effects acutely. Lastly, the investigators would like to test blood from chronic cannabis users for inflammatory cytokines, which could further support our hypothesis that cannabis damages the cardiovascular system via inflammation.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* age: 19 to 80
* males and females
* all ethnicities
* cannabis use at least 3-4 times per week or more in the past 6 months (50 volunteers, experimental group)
* patients who do not use cannabis (50 volunteers, control group)
* no history of cardiovascular disease

Exclusion Criteria:

* that ingest cannabis containing cannabidiol (CBD)
* that are unable to provide a receipt for the cannabis product(s) they ingest
* that are unwilling to stop consuming soy products and/or genistein 48 hours prior to appointments.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Inflammation
timeFrame: Baseline measurement.
measure: Endothelial function
timeFrame: Baseline measurement.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Cholesterol Level
timeFrame: Baseline measurement.
measure: BMI
timeFrame: Baseline measurement.
measure: Blood pressure
timeFrame: Baseline measurement.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: Canada
facility: London Regional Health Science Centre
state: Ontario
Study officials:
References: