BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that women may fare worse than men in cannabis trials with pharmacologic interventions. Identifying baseline clinical profiles of treatment-seeking cannabis-dependent adults could inform gender-specific treatment planning and development. METHODS: The current study compared baseline demographic, cannabis use, and psychiatric factors between women (n = 86) and men (n = 216) entering the Achieving Cannabis Cessation-Evaluating N-acetylcysteine Treatment (ACCENT) study, a multi-site, randomized controlled trial conducted within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. RESULTS: Women reported greater withdrawal intensity (p = .001) and negative impact of withdrawal (p = .001), predominantly due to physiological and mood symptoms. Women were more likely to have lifetime panic disorder (p = .038) and current agoraphobia (p = .022), and reported more days of poor physical health (p = .006) and cannabis-related medical problems (p = .023). Women reporting chronic pain had greater mean pain scores than men with chronic pain (p = .006). Men and women did not differ on any measures of baseline cannabis use. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis-dependent women may present for treatment with more severe and impairing withdrawal symptoms and psychiatric conditions compared to cannabis-dependent men. This might help explain recent evidence suggesting that women fare worse than men in cannabis treatment trials of pharmacologic interventions. Baseline clinical profiles of treatment-seeking adults can inform gender-specific treatment planning and development. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Cannabis-dependent women may benefit from integrated treatment focusing on co-occurring psychiatric disorders and targeted treatment of cannabis withdrawal syndrome.(Am J Addict 2017;26:136-144).
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that women may fare worse than men in cannabis trials with pharmacologic interventions. Identifying baseline clinical profiles of treatment-seeking cannabis-dependent adults could inform gender-specific treatment planning and development. METHODS: The current study compared baseline demographic, cannabis use, and psychiatric factors between women (n = 86) and men (n = 216) entering the Achieving Cannabis Cessation-Evaluating N-acetylcysteine Treatment (ACCENT) study, a multi-site, randomized controlled trial conducted within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. RESULTS:Women reported greater withdrawal intensity (p = .001) and negative impact of withdrawal (p = .001), predominantly due to physiological and mood symptoms. Women were more likely to have lifetime panic disorder (p = .038) and current agoraphobia (p = .022), and reported more days of poor physical health (p = .006) and cannabis-related medical problems (p = .023). Women reporting chronic pain had greater mean pain scores than men with chronic pain (p = .006). Men and women did not differ on any measures of baseline cannabis use. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis-dependent women may present for treatment with more severe and impairing withdrawal symptoms and psychiatric conditions compared to cannabis-dependent men. This might help explain recent evidence suggesting that women fare worse than men in cannabis treatment trials of pharmacologic interventions. Baseline clinical profiles of treatment-seeking adults can inform gender-specific treatment planning and development. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Cannabis-dependent women may benefit from integrated treatment focusing on co-occurring psychiatric disorders and targeted treatment of cannabis withdrawal syndrome.(Am J Addict 2017;26:136-144).
Authors: Marc L Copersino; Susan J Boyd; Donald P Tashkin; Marilyn A Huestis; Stephen J Heishman; John C Dermand; Michael S Simmons; David A Gorelick Journal: Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse Date: 2010-08-03 Impact factor: 3.829
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Authors: D V Sheehan; Y Lecrubier; K H Sheehan; P Amorim; J Janavs; E Weiller; T Hergueta; R Baker; G C Dunbar Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 1998 Impact factor: 4.384
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