First case report linking chronic cannabis use with H. pylori infection and preeclampsia during pregnancy | Research

The takeaway

A case report described a 21-year-old pregnant woman diagnosed with CHS at 30 weeks who also developed preeclampsia and was found to have H. pylori gastritis, representing the first reported association of all three conditions and raising questions about cannabinoid-related pathways in pregnancy complications.

Obstetricians managing pregnant cannabis users; gastroenterologists; researchers studying cannabinoid effects on pregnancy.

First reported case linking CHS, H. pylori, and preeclampsia in pregnancy

What the researchers found

A 21-year-old first-time pregnant woman was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum at 6 weeks and later developed preeclampsia at 35 weeks.

A drug screen at 30 weeks was positive for cannabis, leading to a CHS diagnosis that had been masked by pregnancy-related nausea.

After labor induction, the infant was born with a negative umbilical cord drug test and developed normally.

Post-delivery endoscopy revealed moderate chronic gastritis with H. pylori infection confirmed by immunostaining.

This was the first case reporting the co-occurrence of chronic cannabis use, H. pylori colonization, and preeclampsia in pregnancy. The authors suggested a possible cannabinoid-related pathway linking pregnancy complications and bacterial colonization.

Why it matters

The overlap of CHS, H. pylori, and preeclampsia in a single patient raises the possibility that cannabinoid signaling could influence both gastrointestinal bacterial colonization and pregnancy-specific vascular complications. While speculative, this hypothesis deserves investigation given rising cannabis use during pregnancy.

The numbers in context

Patient was 21 years old, primigravida. Hyperemesis gravidarum diagnosed at 6 weeks. Cannabis screen positive at 30 weeks. Preeclampsia at 35 weeks. Infant cord blood drug test negative.

How the study worked

Single case report with post-delivery esophagogastroduodenoscopy and tissue biopsies. H. pylori confirmed by immunostaining.

What this study cannot tell us

Single case report with no ability to establish causal relationships between the three conditions. H. pylori infection is common and may be coincidental. The preeclampsia may be unrelated to cannabis use. No mechanism proposed beyond speculation.

How to read the evidence

Preliminary. Single case report with speculative mechanistic link. Novel observation that needs investigation.

When this study was published

Published in 2018. Research on cannabis use during pregnancy and associated complications continues to expand.

The bigger picture

This case adds to growing concerns about cannabis use during pregnancy. The potential connection between cannabinoid exposure and H. pylori colonization is novel and could open a new research direction if confirmed in larger studies.

Questions still open

Does cannabis use influence susceptibility to H. pylori infection? Is there a biological link between cannabinoid signaling and preeclampsia? How often do CHS, H. pylori, and preeclampsia co-occur in cannabis-using pregnant women?

Common questions

Did the cannabis harm the baby?

In this case, the infant had a negative cord blood drug test and developed normally. However, this single case does not establish that cannabis use during pregnancy is safe. Other studies have associated prenatal cannabis exposure with various developmental concerns.

What is preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to organ systems, usually after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It can be dangerous for both mother and baby and sometimes requires early delivery.

Read the original research

A case of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome with Heliobacter pylori and preeclampsia during pregnancy.

Substance abuse, 39(1), 9-13

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Manning Meurer, Madeline; Chakrala, Kalyan; Gowda, Dinesh; Burns, Charles; Kelly, Randall; Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, Natalia. (2018). A case of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome with Heliobacter pylori and preeclampsia during pregnancy.. Substance abuse, 39(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2017.1356790