The effects of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on sleep in cancer patients
Apoorva C. Reddy, John M. Hampton, Susan J. Park, Faith Dickerson, Betty Chewning, Natalie Schmitz, Kristine Kwekkeboom, Heather Neuman & Amy Trentham-Dietz
1 Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public
Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 750 Highland
Avenue, Madison, WI 53726, USA
2 Department of Population Health Sciences and Carbone
Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
3 Analytics Division, Minnesota Office of Cannabis
Management, Saint Paul, USA
4 School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
Madison, USA
5 School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
Madison, US
Affiliationer
Background
Despite limited research, cancer patients are opting for compounds found in cannabis, like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), to improve their sleep. The purpose of this study was to examine the therapeutic value of cannabis for sleep.
Methods
Patient-reported symptom responses were obtained from 1962 cancer patients enrolled in the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program (MMCP) from 2015 to 2023. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between changes in reported sleep disturbance scores and the dose of THC, the dose of CBD, and the cannabinoid ratio (THC:CBD). Logistic and linear regression models were adjusted for sex, age, race, ethnicity, body mass index, and MMCP enrollment fee category. Linear regression models were additionally adjusted for baseline sleep disturbance score.
Results
Compared to the highest quintile category of CBD dose, lower dose quintiles were 29–35% less likely to be associated with at least a 30% improvement in sleep disturbance scores. Sleep disturbance scores improved by 1.87 points on a 0–10 ordinal scale for cancer patients with CBD doses in the top quintile, and approximately 1.5 points for doses in lower quintiles. THC and THC:CBD doses were not consistently related to changes in sleep disturbance scores.
Conclusion
Higher CBD doses may be associated with clinically meaningful improvements in sleep in cancer patients enrolled in a medical cannabis program.
