Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37941019›Full record

ArticleJournal of cannabis research2023

The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain.

Jussi Jylkkä, Aleksi Hupli, Aleksandra Nikolaeva, Sandra Alanen, Anna Erika Back, Sara Lindqvist, Andreas Krabbe, Maya Lavie-Ajayi, Oskari Kantonen

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cannabis research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Jussi JylkkäDepartment of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland. jjylkka@abo.fi.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0655-5977
Aleksi HupliEmerging Technologies Lab, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Aleksandra NikolaevaTurku Brain and Mind Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Sandra AlanenDepartment of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
Anna Erika BackDepartment of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
Sara LindqvistDepartment of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
Andreas KrabbeDepartment of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
Maya Lavie-AjayiGender Studies Program, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
Oskari KantonenDepartment of Perioperative Services, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Åbo Akademi University · FIUniversity of Turku · FIBen-Gurion University of the Negev · ILTampere University · FI

Funding

Koneen Säätiö 202105363
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedical cannabis (MC) is increasingly used for chronic pain, but it is unclear how it aids in pain management. Previous literature suggests that MC could holistically alter the pain experience instead of only targeting pain intensity. However, this hypothesis has not been previously systematically tested.

methodA retrospective internet survey was used in a sample of Finnish chronic pain patients (40 MC users and 161 opioid users). The patients evaluated statements describing positive and negative phenomenological effects of the medicine. The two groups were propensity score matched to control for possible confounding factors.

resultsExploratory factor analysis revealed three experience factors: Negative Side Effects, Positive Holistic Effects, and Positive Emotional Effects. The MC group (matched n = 39) received higher scores than the opioid group (matched n = 39) in Positive Emotional Effects with large effect size (Rank-Biserial Correlation RBC = .71, p < .001), and in Holistic Positive Effects with medium effect size (RBC = .47, p < .001), with no difference in Negative Side Effects (p = .13). MC and opioids were perceived as equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity. Ratings of individual statements were exploratively examined in a post hoc analysis.

conclusionMC and opioids were perceived to be equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity, but MC additionally positively affected broader pain-related factors such as emotion, functionality, and overall sense of wellbeing. This supports the hypothesis that MC alleviates pain through holistically altering the pain experience.

Indexed as

Chronic painConsciousnessExperienceFunctionalityMedical cannabisMoodNegative side effectsOpioidsPsychoactive effectsWellbeing

Identifiers

PMID37941019
PMCPMC10634036
OpenAlexW4388509307

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.