Table 2.
Outcomes of medical cannabis therapy among 90 children and adolescents
| Total n = 90 (100%) |
THCa n = 39 (100%) |
CBD only n = 51 (100%) |
p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment success (caregiver perspective) | 0.65 | ||||
| Yes | 59 (66) | 26 (67) | 33 (65) | ||
| No | 28 (31) | 11 (28) | 17 (33) | ||
| Missing | 3 (3) | 2 (5) | 1 (2) | ||
| Treatment interruptions/treatment stop | 0.70 | ||||
| Yes | 39 (43) | 16 (41) | 23 (45) | ||
| No | 51 (57) | 23 (59) | 28 (55) | ||
| Median time to first interruption/treatment stop in weeks (IQR) | 8 (3–32) | 6.5 (3.5–36) | 8 (3–20) | ||
| Number of observations | 25 | 8 | 17 | ||
| Reasons for interruptionb | |||||
| No improvement and stopped treatment | 22 (24) | 9 (23) | 13 (26) | 0.79 | |
| Side effects | 18 (20) | 8 (21) | 10 (20) | 0.92 | |
| Taking preparation via the tube | 17 (19) | 7 (18) | 10 (20) | 0.84 | |
| Costs | 9 (10) | 0 | 9 (18) | 0.004 | |
| Unpleasant smell/taste | 4 (4) | 2 (5) | 2 (4) | 1 | |
| Side effects | 0.94 | ||||
| No | 65 (72) | 28 (72) | 37 (73) | ||
| Yes | 25 (28) | 11 (28) | 14 (27) | ||
| Tiredness | 11 (12) | 6 (15) | 5 (10) | ||
| Sedation | 7 (8) | 4 (10) | 3 (6) | ||
| Dry mouth | 5 (6) | 2 (5) | 3 (6) | ||
| Nausea and vomiting | 4 (4) | 2 (5) | 2 (4) | ||
| Dizziness | 2 (2) | 2 (5) | 0 | ||
| Hallucinations | 2 (2) | 1 (3) | 1 (2) | ||
| Impaired ability to think (cognitive changes) | 2 (2) | 2 (5) | 0 | ||
| Changed movement behaviour | 2 (2) | 1 (3) | 1 (2) | ||
| Diarrhoea | 2 (2) | 0 | 2 (4) | ||
| Red eyes | 1 (1) | 1 (3) | 0 | ||
| Others | 6 (7) | 0 | 6 (12) | ||
CBD cannabidiol, THC tetrahydrocannabinol
aSix patients who received both THC and pure CBD were assigned to THC
bp values for each reason for interruption vs. no interruption (reference)