Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40540313›Full record

ArticleFundamental & clinical pharmacology2025

Cannabinoids and Adverse Convulsive Effects: A Pharmacovigilance and Addictovigilance Analysis of Cases Reported in France.

Marie-Laure Laroche, Marion Labetoulle, Emilie Jouanjus, Edeltraut Kröger, Arsène Zongo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Fundamental & clinical pharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

5 authors.

Marie-Laure LarocheRegional Centre of Pharmacovigilance, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4344-0359
Marion LabetoulleRegional Centre of Pharmacovigilance, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France.
Emilie JouanjusCEIP-Addictovigilance, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3510-2475
Edeltraut KrögerPopulation Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Axis, CHU de Québec Research Centre-University Laval Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5653-3979
Arsène ZongoPopulation Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Axis, CHU de Québec Research Centre-University Laval Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8812-3088

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeizures after the use of cannabinoids are reported, but no precise descriptions of the characteristics of subjects and factors that may trigger seizures are available.

objectivesTo study the characteristics and circumstances associated with the occurrence of seizures in individuals using cannabinoids for medical or recreational purposes.

methodsA retrospective analysis of spontaneous reports of adverse drug effects issued by the French pharmacovigilance and addictovigilance systems, and by manufacturers, extracted data from the Eudravigilance database (01/01/1985-21/07/2023). The request used the broad MedDRA SMQ term 'convulsive', with all products containing cannabinoids (THC, CBD, cannabis or natural cannabinoids).

resultsAmong 4296 notifications with cannabinoids, 130 (3%) reports of convulsive effects were analysed: 29 cases (23.3%) related to medical use (27 CBD, 1 THC and 2 combined THC/CBD preparations) and 98 (75.4%) related to recreational use. The median age was 29.0 years (min-max: 3-75), 78.7% were men and 81.1% were serious cases. Among the recreational users, 38.8% used Cannabis sativa with a history of epilepsy, and 68.4% of them were taking antiepileptics. In total, 67.7% of individuals had at least one risk factor for seizures, i.e., 31.0% among medical users and 78.6% among recreational users. The main risk factors with medical use were inefficacy of CBD (17.2%), fatigue (13.8%) and concomitant epileptogenic medications (10.3%). The main risk with recreational use was concomitant epileptogenic medications (39.8%), consumption of illicit drugs (33.7%) and alcohol (32.7%).

conclusionThis analysis demonstrates the importance of alerting cannabinoid users, particularly recreational cannabis users and those with a history of epilepsy, about seizure-associated risks. Moreover, educational information should be provided together with the prescription of licensed cannabinoids and medical cannabis.

Indexed as

CannabinoidsPharmacovigilanceSeizuresAdolescentAdultAdverse Drug Reaction Reporting SystemsAgedChildChild, PreschoolDatabases, FactualFemaleFranceHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesCannabinoidsadverse drug reactionscannabinoidspharmacovigilanceseizure

Identifiers

PMID40540313
PMCPMC12200219

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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.