IBD patients prescribed cannabis-based products in the UK showed improved quality of life, anxiety, and sleep scores over 18 months, though without a control group, the cause of improvement remains uncertain.
Gastroenterologists, IBD patients exploring cannabis-based treatments, and medical cannabis researchers
116 IBD patients tracked for 18 months
What the researchers found
Among 116 IBD patients in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry treated with cannabis-based products, there were statistically significant improvements in IBD-specific quality of life (SIBDQ), generalized anxiety (GAD-7), sleep quality (SQS), and general quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) over 18 months.
Why it matters
Long-term data on cannabis-based products for IBD is scarce. This 18-month follow-up from a real-world registry provides some of the longest observational data available for this patient population.
The numbers in context
116 patients; 81% male; mean age 39.5 years; significant improvements in SIBDQ, GAD-7, SQS, and EQ-5D-5L (all p < 0.05); 17.2% reported adverse events (155 total events)
How the study worked
Prospective registry study tracking 116 IBD patients prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) through the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, with validated outcome measures collected from baseline through 18 months.
What this study cannot tell us
No control group so improvements could reflect natural disease course or placebo effects; predominantly male sample; registry data subject to selection bias; patients self-selected into cannabis treatment
How to read the evidence
Real-world registry study with validated outcome measures but no control group or randomization.
When this study was published
2024 study with 18-month follow-up data
The bigger picture
IBD treatment options remain limited for many patients. Real-world registry data like this can help identify whether cannabis-based products warrant further investigation through randomized controlled trials.
Questions still open
- Would these improvements hold up in a randomized controlled trial with a placebo arm? What specific cannabis formulations and doses produced the best outcomes?
Common questions
What improved for IBD patients using medical cannabis?
Were there side effects?
Read the original research
UK medical cannabis registry: an updated analysis of clinical outcomes of cannabis-based medicinal products for inflammatory bowel disease.
Expert review of gastroenterology & hepatology, 18(12), 829-838
Citation
Gupta, Aashray; Erridge, Simon; Graf, Vivian; Kelada, Monica; Bapir, Lara; Jesuraj, Naveen; Warner-Levy, John; Clarke, Evonne; McLachlan, Katy; Coomber, Ross; Rucker, James J; Platt, Michael W; Sodergren, Mikael H. (2024). UK medical cannabis registry: an updated analysis of clinical outcomes of cannabis-based medicinal products for inflammatory bowel disease.. Expert review of gastroenterology & hepatology, 18(12), 829-838. https://doi.org/10.1080/17474124.2024.2443574
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