Table 2.
Major commonly cited diagnostic characteristics
| Diagnostic characteristic | Frequency (%) (total n with criterion reported) | GRADE rating |
|---|---|---|
| History of regular cannabis use for years (over 1 year) [6, 16, 30, 51, 119, 120] | 74.8 (179) | Low |
| Severe nausea and vomiting [16, 119, 120] | 100 (211) | Low |
| Vomiting that recurs in a cyclic pattern over months [6, 30, 119, 121] | 100 (211) | Low |
| Resolution of symptoms after stopping cannabis [6, 16, 30, 119–121] | 96.8 (64) | Low |
| Reliable return of symptoms within weeks of resuming use [30] | a | Low |
| Compulsive hot baths with symptom relief [6, 16, 30, 51, 119–121] | 92.3 (170) | Low |
| Male predominance [121] | 72.9 (227) | Low |
| Abdominal pain [30, 119–121] | 85.1 (202) | Low |
| At least weekly cannabis use [16, 120] | 97.4 (197) | Low |
| History of daily cannabis use [121] | 76.6 (197) | Low |
| Age less than 50 at onset of illness [16, 120, 121] | 100 (227) | Low |
| Normal bowel habits [16] | a | Very low |
| Negative medical workup [16, 30, 119, 121] | a | Very low |
| Weight loss >5 kg [16, 120] | a | Very low |
aCriterion inconsistently documented in case reports, thus limiting frequency analysis