Ten-year pediatric case series described cannabinoid hyperemesis features in 34 adolescents
A 10-year case series of 34 adolescents with cannabis hyperemesis found clinical features similar to adults, including cyclic vomiting, abdominal pain, and relief from hot showers.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Thirty-four patients aged 13-20 (median 17) presented with cyclic nausea and vomiting after at least 3 months of regular cannabis use. Clinical features mirrored adult cannabis hyperemesis, including abdominal pain, bowel changes, and hot shower relief. No specific antiemetic showed particular benefit.
Key Numbers
34 patients aged 13-20; median age 17 years; 10-year period at one institution; symptoms after at least 3 months of regular use
How They Did This
Researchers reviewed records at a single institution over 10 years, including patients with cannabis-related or cyclic vomiting diagnosis codes who developed regular vomiting after starting regular cannabis use and had no better explanatory diagnosis.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis hyperemesis is increasingly recognized in adults but remains under-diagnosed in adolescents. This case series provides evidence that the condition presents similarly in younger patients and offers pragmatic diagnostic criteria for pediatric cases.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis use among adolescents continues, clinicians seeing young patients with unexplained cyclic vomiting need to consider cannabis hyperemesis. This series suggests the condition is not rare in pediatric settings but is likely underdiagnosed.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single institution, retrospective case review. Follow-up recorded in fewer than half of patients. Drug history documentation frequently incomplete. No control group.
Questions This Raises
- ?How many adolescents with cyclic vomiting are being missed because drug histories are incomplete?
- ?What is the true incidence of pediatric cannabis hyperemesis?
- ?Does adolescent-onset CHS differ in long-term outcomes from adult-onset?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 34 adolescent cases over 10 years at a single institution
- Evidence Grade:
- Retrospective case series with limited follow-up, though the 10-year span and focus on an underrecognized pediatric condition add clinical value.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Pediatric Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: A Single Institution 10-Year Case Series.
- Published In:
- The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 68(2), 255-261 (2021)
- Authors:
- Lonsdale, Hannah(2), Kimsey, Kathryn M, Brown, Jerry M, Dey, Aditi, Peck, Jacquelin, Son, Sorany, Wilsey, Michael
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03297
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How did adolescent cannabis hyperemesis compare to adult cases?
The presenting features were broadly similar: cyclic nausea and vomiting after regular cannabis use, abdominal pain, bowel changes, and relief from hot showers or baths.
Did any anti-nausea medication work?
No specific antiemetic was found to be particularly beneficial in this adolescent case series.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03297APA
Lonsdale, Hannah; Kimsey, Kathryn M; Brown, Jerry M; Dey, Aditi; Peck, Jacquelin; Son, Sorany; Wilsey, Michael. (2021). Pediatric Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: A Single Institution 10-Year Case Series.. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 68(2), 255-261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.024
MLA
Lonsdale, Hannah, et al. "Pediatric Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: A Single Institution 10-Year Case Series.." The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.024
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Pediatric Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: A Single Institution 10-Y..." RTHC-03297. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/lonsdale-2021-pediatric-cannabinoid-hyperemesis-a
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.