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Kriss M, Shingina A, Hamel S, Winder GS. Cannabis use in liver transplant candidates and recipients. Liver Transpl 2024; 30:530-543. [PMID: 38289264 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The increasing legality and acceptance of cannabis sale and consumption across the United States has led to a measurable increase in cannabis use nationwide, including in liver transplant (LT) candidates and recipients. With over 75% of liver transplant recipients transplanted in states with legalized use of medicinal and/or recreational cannabis, liver transplant clinicians must have expertise in the assessment of cannabis use given its potential impact on clinical care. In this review, the authors provide an understanding of nomenclature and tools to assess cannabis use, highlight essential components to guide clinical policy development and implementation, and discuss the potential impacts of cannabis use on patients' transplant course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kriss
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Colorado Center for Transplantation Care, Research and Education, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Alexandra Shingina
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Stephanie Hamel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Munir MM, Woldesenbet S, Endo Y, Dillhoff M, Pawlik TM. Cannabis use disorder and perioperative outcomes following complex cancer surgery. J Surg Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38606521 DOI: 10.1002/jso.27644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cannabis usage is increasing in the United States, especially among patients with cancer. We sought to evaluate whether cannabis use disorder (CUD) was associated with higher morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing complex cancer surgery. METHODS Patients who underwent complex cancer surgery between January 2016 and December 2019 were identified in the National Inpatient Sample database. CUD was defined according to ICD-10 codes. Propensity score matching was performed to create a 1:1 matched cohort that was well balanced with respect to covariates, which included patient comorbidities, sociodemographic factors, and procedure type. The primary composite outcome was in-hospital mortality and seven major perioperative complications (myocardial ischemia, acute kidney injury, stroke, respiratory failure, venous thromboembolism, hospital-acquired infection, and surgical procedure-related complications). RESULTS Among 15 014 patients who underwent a high-risk surgical procedure, a cohort of 7507 patients with CUD (median age; 43 years [IQR: 30-56 years]; n = 3078 [41.0%] female) were matched with 7507 patients who were not cannabis users (median age; 44 years [IQR: 30-58 years); n = 2997 [39.9%] female). CUD was associated with slight increased risk relative to postoperative kidney injury (CUD, 7.8% vs. no CUD, 6.1%); however, in-hospital mortality was slightly lower (CUD, 0.9% vs. no CUD, 1.6%) (both p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, after controlling for other risk factors, CUD was not associated with higher morbidity and mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.98-1.15; p = 0.158). CONCLUSION CUD was not associated with a higher risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality following complex cancer surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad M Munir
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Selamawit Woldesenbet
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Yutaka Endo
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mary Dillhoff
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Yau MTK, Hussaini T, Yoshida EM. Review of liver transplantation candidacy and outcomes among patients who use cannabis: Is it time for a change in policy? CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2023; 6:269-277. [PMID: 37503517 PMCID: PMC10370722 DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2022-0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada in 2018. A controversial contraindication for liver transplantation is cannabis. There is currently no consensus regarding cannabis use in liver transplant candidates. We aim to investigate liver transplantation candidacy and outcomes among cannabis users. Methods English peer-reviewed studies on PubMed and Google Scholar were searched on September 9, 2022, using keywords including "cannabis," "liver transplantation," and their synonyms. Titles and abstracts were screened, followed by full texts. Reference lists were reviewed. Studies that investigated liver transplantation candidacy and outcomes among cannabis users were included. Results The proportion of patients listed for liver transplantation was significantly less among cannabis users than among non-users. Time to listing was longer for cannabis users than non-users. The incidence of delisting was similar. There is an inconsistency between transplant centres regarding transplantation candidacy for cannabis users. While only 14% of Canadian centres had a policy in place and preferred candidates to abstain or decrease cannabis use before transplantation, a third of Canadian centres rejected cannabis users. Observational studies failed to demonstrate significant differences in patient survival between pre-transplantation cannabis users and non-users. However, self-reported mental health ratings were worse in post-transplantation cannabis users than in non-users and former users. Conclusions Current observational data do not support a link between cannabis use and poor patient survival post-transplantation. However, high-quality prospective studies are needed to better elucidate the impact of cannabis use on liver transplantation outcomes. Liver transplant candidacy should be evaluated through a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach considering all relevant psychosocial factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Trana Hussaini
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eric M Yoshida
- Division of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Marijuana use and post-transplant complications and non-compliance in liver transplant patients. Am J Med Sci 2023; 365:115-120. [PMID: 36202161 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver transplant (LT) is a lifesaving treatment for patients with end stage liver disease. Historically, institutions across the United States have deemed active marijuana use as an exclusion criterion for listing. This study aims to investigate LT outcomes in patients with history of marijuana use prior to LT. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of 111 patients who tested positive for marijuana on urine drug screen during initial LT evaluation between February 2016 and January 2021. 100 non-marijuana users who underwent LT were cross matched for control. Patient demographics, substance use history, and transplant decisions were recorded. Post-LT variables were also collected up to 1 year post surgery including postoperative infections, issues with non-compliance, and continued substance use. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the association between pre-transplant marijuana use and post-transplant complications. Logistics regression was implemented to measure associations amongst the entire cohort. RESULTS From 111 marijuana users, 32 (29%) received a transplant. There was no statistical difference in post-LT outcomes between marijuana and non-marijuana users, including incidence of cardiac, respiratory, renal, psychiatric, or neurological complications, as well as readmission rates post-surgery. There were no statistically significant associations between marijuana use with post-transplant bacterial or fungal infections, medication non-compliance, or continued substance use (all p>0.05). Marijuana use was associated with pre-LT tobacco use (p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Our data indicates that marijuana is not associated with increased risk of postoperative noncompliance, other organ complications, infections, or death. As a single factor, marijuana may not need to be a contraindication for LT.
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Madsen HJ, Carmichael H, Reinicke T, Gleisner AL, Del Chiaro M, Schulick RD, Stewart CL. Cannabis use and post-operative complications in patients undergoing pancreatic resection. HPB (Oxford) 2023; 25:431-438. [PMID: 36740564 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpb.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many states have legalized medical cannabis with various reported therapeutic benefits. However, there is little data assessing the effects of cannabis on surgical outcomes. We sought to compare post-operative pancreatic resection complications between cannabis users and non-users. METHODS This is a single-center, retrospective review of patients who underwent Whipple or distal pancreatectomy from 1/2017-12/2020. The primary outcome was any in-hospital complication, using Clavien-Dindo. Multivariable regression analysis was performed. RESULTS There were 486 patients who underwent Whipple (n=346, 71.2%) or distal pancreatectomy (n=140, 28.8%). Overall, 21.4% (n=104) reported cannabis use, of whom 80.8% were current users. Cannabis users were younger (60 vs. 66 years, p < 0.001), and more likely to have smoked tobacco (p=0.04), but otherwise had similar demographics as non-users. There were 288 (59.3%) patients who developed an in-hospital complication (grade 1-2, 75.3%; grade 3-5, 24.7%). A trend towards increased complications was observed with tobacco smoking (OR 1.33, 95% CI 0.91-1.94, p=0.14), but no association of cannabis use with complications was observed (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.58-1.47, p=0.74). DISCUSSION A significant proportion of patients undergoing pancreatic resection report cannabis use. These results suggest that there was no association between cannabis use and post-operative complications, future prospective evaluation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen J Madsen
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Heather Carmichael
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Trenton Reinicke
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ana L Gleisner
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Marco Del Chiaro
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Richard D Schulick
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Camille L Stewart
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS C-310, Room 6602, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA
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Winder GS, Clifton EG, Mellinger JL. Substance use disorders in organ transplantation: perennial challenges and interprofessional opportunities. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2022; 27:495-500. [PMID: 36170560 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000001026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The current article examines recent publications regarding ongoing clinical and ethical challenges and opportunities related to substance use disorders (SUD) in solid organ transplantation (SOT) utilizing a lens of interprofessional clinical models and care delivery. RECENT FINDINGS Innovative interprofessional clinician skillsets and care models are increasingly emphasized in the SOT literature as the standard of care for common, complex psychosocial problems like substance use and SUD. Cannabinoids are common among candidates and recipients and present several unique quandaries to SOT teams. Opioid use disorder treatment can often be definitively treated with medications that SOT teams may find unfamiliar, controversial, or aversive. Arguably the quintessential example of SUD in SOT, early liver transplantation for patients with alcohol-related liver disease and short periods of sobriety has become increasingly common and accepted in recent years requiring liver teams to rapidly acquire significant interprofessional psychiatric awareness and expertise. The question of retransplantation in patients who have experienced recurrent SUD remains unsettled. SUMMARY Regardless of substances used or organs transplanted, interprofessional care continues to emerge as a foundational aspect of clinical care and research in SOT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald S Winder
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Surgery
- Department of Neurology
| | | | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Winder GS, Andrews SR, Banerjee AG, Hussain F, Ivkovic A, Kuntz K, Omary L, Shenoy A, Thant T, VandenBerg A, Zimbrean P. Cannabinoids and solid organ transplantation: Psychiatric perspectives and recommendations. Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2022; 36:100715. [PMID: 35853383 DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2022.100715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid use in patients seeking solid organ transplantation (SOT) is an important and unsettled matter which all transplantation clinicians regularly encounter. It is also a multifaceted, interprofessional issue, difficult for any specialty alone to adequately address in a research article or during clinical care. Such uncertainty lends itself to bias for or against cannabinoid use accompanied by inconsistent policies and procedures. Scientific literature in SOT regarding cannabinoids often narrowly examines the issue and exists mostly in liver and kidney transplantation. Published recommendations from professional societies are mosaics of vagueness and specificity mirroring the ongoing dilemma. The cannabinoid information SOT clinicians need for clinical care may require data and perspectives from diverse medical literature which are rarely synthesized. SOT teams may not be adequately staffed or trained to address various neuropsychiatric cannabinoid effects and risks in patients. In this article, authors from US transplantation centers conduct a systematized review of the few existing studies regarding clinician perceptions, use rates, and clinical impact of cannabinoid use in SOT patients; collate representative professional society guidance on the topic; draw from diverse medical literature bases to detail facets of cannabinoid use in psychiatry and addiction pertinent to all transplantation clinicians; provide basic clinical and policy recommendations; and indicate areas of future study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah R Andrews
- Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Filza Hussain
- Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Ana Ivkovic
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristin Kuntz
- Ohio State University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lesley Omary
- Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Akhil Shenoy
- Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Thida Thant
- University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy VandenBerg
- University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Paula Zimbrean
- Yale University Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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