D S Wenger1, M Triplette1,2, S Shahrir1, K M Akgun3, C Wongtrakool4, S T Brown5,6, J W Kim5, G W Soo Hoo7, M C Rodriguez-Barradas8, L Huang9, L C Feemster10, J Zifodya1, K Crothers1,10. 1. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 2. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. 4. Atlanta VA Medical Center and Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. 5. Department of Medicine, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA. 6. Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA. 7. VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 8. Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. 9. Center for AIDS Research, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. 10. VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The relationship between marijuana use and markers of chronic lung disease in people living with HIV (PLWH) is poorly understood. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Examinations of HIV-Associated Lung Emphysema (EXHALE) study, including 162 HIV-positive patients and 138 participants without HIV. We modelled marijuana exposure as: (i) current daily or weekly marijuana smoking vs. monthly or less often; or (ii) cumulative marijuana smoking (joint-years). Linear and logistic regression estimated associations between marijuana exposure and markers of lung disease, adjusted for tobacco smoking and other factors. RESULTS: In PLWH, current daily or weekly marijuana use was associated with a larger forced vital capacity (FVC), larger total lung capacity and increased odds of radiographic emphysema compared with marijuana non-smokers in adjusted models; these associations were not statistically significant in participants without HIV. Marijuana joint-years were associated with higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s and FVC in PLWH but not with emphysema. CONCLUSIONS: In PLWH, marijuana smoking was associated with higher lung volumes and potentially with radiographic emphysema. No consistently negative associations were observed between marijuana and measures of chronic lung health.
OBJECTIVES: The relationship between marijuana use and markers of chronic lung disease in people living with HIV (PLWH) is poorly understood. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Examinations of HIV-Associated Lung Emphysema (EXHALE) study, including 162 HIV-positive patients and 138 participants without HIV. We modelled marijuana exposure as: (i) current daily or weekly marijuana smoking vs. monthly or less often; or (ii) cumulative marijuana smoking (joint-years). Linear and logistic regression estimated associations between marijuana exposure and markers of lung disease, adjusted for tobacco smoking and other factors. RESULTS: In PLWH, current daily or weekly marijuana use was associated with a larger forced vital capacity (FVC), larger total lung capacity and increased odds of radiographic emphysema compared with marijuana non-smokers in adjusted models; these associations were not statistically significant in participants without HIV. Marijuana joint-years were associated with higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s and FVC in PLWH but not with emphysema. CONCLUSIONS: In PLWH, marijuana smoking was associated with higher lung volumes and potentially with radiographic emphysema. No consistently negative associations were observed between marijuana and measures of chronic lung health.