Association Between Cannabis Use and Healthcare Utilization in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Publication/Presentation Date

5-7-2020

Abstract

Introduction Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a frequent cause of abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, which is associated with significant healthcare utilization. The effects of the active compound of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), on gut motility and tone have been studied in several experimental models. It is unknown whether these effects correlate with improved healthcare utilization among cannabis users. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of cannabis use on inpatient length of stay and resource utilization for patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of IBS. Methods Data were extracted from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2010 to 2014 for all patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of IBS. Cannabis users (n=246) and non-users (n=9147) were directly compared for various clinical outcomes. Results Cannabis users were less likely to have the following: upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (17.9% vs. 26.1%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.51 [0.36 to 0.73]; p

Volume

12

Issue

5

First Page

8008

Last Page

8008

ISSN

2168-8184

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

32528750

Department(s)

Fellows and Residents

Document Type

Article

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS