Cannabis Use is Associated With Higher Rates of Pseudarthrosis Following TLIF: A Multi-Institutional Matched-Cohort Study

Effect of recreational cannabis use on bone mineral density: a systematic review

The recreational use of cannabis products has risen considerably worldwide over the past decade. As the cannabis legal market grows, a critical challenge has been to make substantiated claims about the benefits and adverse health problems triggered by cannabis exposure. Despite accumulating evidence from animal studies demonstrating the role of cannabinoids on bone metabolism, there are conflicting results in clinical literature regarding their effects on bone health outcomes.We undertook a systematic review to assess the evidence for the safety of cannabis use on bone health. We searched the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to March 2023 for studies evaluating the effect of the recreational use of cannabis on the bone mineral density (BMD) of adults.Among the 2620 studies reviewed, three cross-sectional studies and one randomized controlled trial comprised 4032 participants from 18 to 60 years who met the inclusion criteria. Two studies showed that cannabis exposure decreased BMD, while the other 2 indicated no alteration. Despite the different study designs, the included studies showed a low risk of bias according to the Joanna Briggs Institute tool.Eligible studies present differences in cannabis products, administration routes, and exposure determination. Further longitudinal research is needed to establish multiple clinical predictors associated with potentially negative consequences of cannabis exposure, especially in vulnerable populations such as elderly individuals.

Cannabis Use Disorder Trends and Health Care Utilization After Cervical and Lumbar Spine Fusions

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To identify differences in complication rates after cervical and lumbar fusion over the first postoperative year between those with and without cannabis use disorder (CUD) and to assess how CUD affects opioid prescription patterns.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Cannabis is legal for medical purposes in 36 states and for recreational use in 18 states. Cannabis has multisystem effects and may contribute to transient vasoconstrictive, prothrombotic, and inflammatory effects.

METHODS

The IBM MarketScan Database (2009-2019) was used to identify patients who underwent cervical or lumbar fusions, with or without CUD. Exact match hospitalization and postdischarge outcomes were analyzed at index, six, and 12 months.

RESULTS

Of 72,024 cervical fusion (2.0% with CUD) and 105,612 lumbar fusion patients (1.5% with CUD), individuals with CUD were more likely to be young males with higher Elixhauser index. The cervical CUD group had increased neurological complications (3% vs. 2%) and sepsis (1% vs. 0%) during the index hospitalization and neurological (7% vs. 5%) and wound complications (5% vs. 3%) at 12 months. The lumbar CUD group had increased wound (8% vs. 5%) and myocardial infarction (MI) (2% vs. 1%) complications at six months and at 12 months. For those with cervical myelopathy, increased risk of pulmonary complications was observed with CUD at index hospitalization and 12-month follow-up. For those with lumbar stenosis, cardiac complications and MI were associated with CUD at index hospitalization and 12 months. CUD was associated with opiate use disorder, decreasing postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

No differences in reoperation rates were observed for CUD groups undergoing cervical or lumbar fusion. CUD was associated with an increased risk of stroke for the cervical fusion cohort and cardiac (including MI) and pulmonary complications for lumbar fusion at index hospitalization and six and 12 months postoperatively. Opiate use disorder and decreased opiate dependence after surgery also correlated with CUD.

Cannabis use Disorder and Complications After Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study, a retrospective database analysis, was to assess the impact of baseline cannabis use disorder (CUD) on perioperative complication outcomes in patients undergoing primary 1- to 2-level anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery.

METHODS

The PearlDiver Database was queried from January 2010 to December 2021 for patients who underwent primary 1- to 2-level ACDF surgery for degenerative spine disease. Patients with CUD diagnosis 6 months before the index ACDF surgery (i.e., CUD) were propensity matched with patients without CUD (i.e., control in a ratio of 1:1, employing age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index as matching covariates). Univariate and multivariable analysis models with adjustment of confounding variables were used to evaluate the risk of CUD on perioperative complications between the propensity-matched cohorts.

RESULTS

The 1:1 matched cohort included 838 patients in each group. Following multivariate analysis, CUD was demonstrated to be associated with an increased incidence of hospital readmission at 90 days (odds ratio [OR] = 2.64, 95% confidence interval: [1.19 to 6.78], [P = 0.027]) and revision surgery at 1 year postoperative (OR = 3.36, 95% confidence interval: [1.17 to 14.18], [P = 0.049]). CUD was additionally associated with reduced risk of overall medical complications at both 6 months and 1 year postoperative (OR = 0.55, [P = 0.021], and OR = 0.54, [P = 0.015], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that isolated baseline CUD is associated with an increased risk of hospital readmission at 90 days postoperative and cervical spine reoperation at 1 year after primary 1- to 2-level ACDF surgery with a decrease in overall medical complications, cardiac arrhythmias, and acute renal failure.