doi: 10.1055/a-2002-2119.
- PMID: 36539215
- DOI: 10.1055/a-2002-2119
Free article
Abstract
Background There is a paucity of high-quality evidence of the efficacy and safety of cannabis-based medicinal products in treatment of treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) in children. Methods A case series of children(<18 years old) with TRE from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry was analysed. Primary outcomes were ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency, changes in the Impact of Paediatric Epilepsy Score(IPES) and incidence of adverse events. Results Thirty-five patients were included in the analysis. Patients were prescribed during their treatment with the following-CBD isolate oils(n=19), CBD broad-spectrum oils(n=17), and CBD/Δ9-THC combination therapy(n=17). Twenty-three(65.7%) patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency. 94.1%(n=16) of patients treated with CBD and Δ9-THC observed a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency compared to 31.6%(n=6) and 17.6%(n=3) of patients treated with CBD isolates and broad-spectrum CBD products respectively(p<0.001). Twenty-six(74.3%) adverse events were reported by 16 patients(45.7%). The majority of these were mild(n=12; 34.2%) and moderate(n=10; 28.6%). Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate a positive signal of improved seizure frequency in children treated with CBMPs for TRE. Moreover, the results suggest that CBMPs are well-tolerated in the short term. The limitations mean causation cannot be determined in this open-label, case series.
The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Conflict of interest statement
Dr Simon Erridge Simon Erridge is a junior doctor and undertakes paid consultancy work at Sapphire Medical Clinics. Simon Erridge is an honorary clinical research fellow at Imperial College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Simon Erridge has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Mr Carl Holvey Carl Holvey is chief clinical pharmacist at Sapphire Medical Clinics. Carl Holvey has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Ross Coomber Ross Coomber is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics and a consultant at St George’s Hospital, London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Ross Coomber has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Jonathan Hoare Jonathan Hoare is a consultant in gastroenterology and a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Jonathan Hoare has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Shaheen A Khan Shaheen Khan is a consultant in palliative medicine and a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Shaheen Khan has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Michael W Platt Michael Platt is a consultant in pain services and a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Michael Platt has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr James J Rucker James Rucker is a consultant psychiatrist, a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). James Rucker is an honorary consultant psychiatrist at The South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and an NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellow at the Centre for Affective Disorders at King’s College London. James Rucker is funded by a fellowship (CS-2017-17-007) from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. James Rucker has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. James Rucker reviewed this article and made comments. Dr Mark W Weatherall Mark Weatherall is a consultant in neurology and a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Mark Weatherall has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Sushil Beri Sushil Beri is a consultant in paediatrics and a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics (London). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS. Sushil Beri has no shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. Dr Mikael H Sodergren Mikael Sodergren is a consultant hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon, a director at Sapphire Medical Clinics and a consultant at Imperial College NHS Trust, London. He is senior clinical lecturer at Imperial College London and Chief Medical Officer at Curaleaf International. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS.
