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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Health) - For people with nerve damage that can
result from HIV infection, smoking marijuana seems to relieve the pain they
experience, according to the results of a small pilot study.
Diffuse nerve pain, or polyneuropathy, is a significant problem for many
people with HIV infection. Pre-clinical research findings suggest that
cannabis-like compounds may be effective for treating neuropathic pain, Dr.
Cheryl Jay of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues
noted this week at the 11th Annual Retrovirus Conference.
In a trial, 16 HIV-infected subjects with neuropathy were given three
marijuana cigarettes each day for seven days. The cigarettes were dispensed
by the pharmacy at San Francisco General Hospital. All of the patients
reported previous experience smoking marijuana but had not done so for 30
days prior to the trial.
Fourteen of the participants were men, and their average age was 43 years.
They had had neuropathy for an average of 6 years.
Reductions in pain were assessed using a 0-to-100 visual scale. The aim was
to achieve a 30 percent reduction in average daily pain, "which is a pretty
typical standard used in pain studies, and is considered a clinically
meaningful amount of pain relief," Jay told Reuters Health.
Average pain scores dropped from 47 at the start of the study to 20 at the
end of the seven-day period. Twelve of the 16 participants reached the
30-percent goal in reduction of pain, Jay said.
A trial with participants randomized to receive marijuana or an inactive
placebo has now been started, she added, and 20 out of 50 participants have
been enrolled so far.
result from HIV infection, smoking marijuana seems to relieve the pain they
experience, according to the results of a small pilot study.
Diffuse nerve pain, or polyneuropathy, is a significant problem for many
people with HIV infection. Pre-clinical research findings suggest that
cannabis-like compounds may be effective for treating neuropathic pain, Dr.
Cheryl Jay of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues
noted this week at the 11th Annual Retrovirus Conference.
In a trial, 16 HIV-infected subjects with neuropathy were given three
marijuana cigarettes each day for seven days. The cigarettes were dispensed
by the pharmacy at San Francisco General Hospital. All of the patients
reported previous experience smoking marijuana but had not done so for 30
days prior to the trial.
Fourteen of the participants were men, and their average age was 43 years.
They had had neuropathy for an average of 6 years.
Reductions in pain were assessed using a 0-to-100 visual scale. The aim was
to achieve a 30 percent reduction in average daily pain, "which is a pretty
typical standard used in pain studies, and is considered a clinically
meaningful amount of pain relief," Jay told Reuters Health.
Average pain scores dropped from 47 at the start of the study to 20 at the
end of the seven-day period. Twelve of the 16 participants reached the
30-percent goal in reduction of pain, Jay said.
A trial with participants randomized to receive marijuana or an inactive
placebo has now been started, she added, and 20 out of 50 participants have
been enrolled so far.
