Department of Gynecology with Center of Oncological Surgery, Endometriosis Research Center Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024 Nov;310(5):2673-2680. doi: 10.1007/s00404-024-07652-6. Epub 2024 Aug 9.
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause various pain symptoms. Current therapy options do not always provide sufficient pain relief and often cause unpleasant side effects. Recent studies have shown that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the endometriosis pathophysiology, and using Cannabinoids may be a potential therapeutic option. We aimed to determine for the first time, the Cannabis use prevalence, self-rated effectiveness, and the possible reduction in medication in German-speaking countries.
A cross-sectional online survey was distributed through endometriosis support and advocacy groups on social media. German-speaking endometriosis patients aged ≤ 18, residing in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were eligible to participate.
Out of 912 participants who provided valid answers, 114 reported using cannabis for self-management. Cannabis was rated as the most effective self-management strategy to reduce symptom intensity (self-rated efficacy 7.6 out of 10). Additionally, ~ 90% of the participants were able to decrease their pain medication intake. The greatest improvement was observed in sleep (91%), menstrual pain (90%), and non-cyclic pain (80%). Apart from increased fatigue (17%), side effects were infrequent (≤ 5%).
At the time of the study, Cannabis consumption was still illegal in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with medical cannabis being rarely prescribed due to complex requirements. Results suggest that Cannabis has become a popular self-management method for treating endometriosis-related symptoms, leading to substantial symptom improvement. Further studies are needed to investigate the best administration methods, dosage, THC/CBD ratio, potential side effects, and long-term effects to provide official recommendations to patients and healthcare providers.
子宫内膜异位症是一种慢性炎症性疾病，可引起各种疼痛症状。目前的治疗选择并不总是能提供足够的疼痛缓解，而且经常会引起不愉快的副作用。最近的研究表明，内源性大麻素系统参与了子宫内膜异位症的病理生理学，使用大麻素可能是一种潜在的治疗选择。我们旨在首次确定德国、奥地利和瑞士讲德语的国家的大麻使用流行率、自我评估疗效以及可能减少药物治疗的情况。
通过社交媒体上的子宫内膜异位症支持和宣传团体，进行了一项横断面在线调查。年龄≤18 岁、居住在德国、奥地利和瑞士的德国讲英语的子宫内膜异位症患者有资格参加。
在 912 名提供有效答案的参与者中，有 114 名报告使用大麻进行自我管理。大麻被评为减少症状强度的最有效自我管理策略（自我评估疗效为 10 分中的 7.6 分）。此外，~90%的参与者能够减少止痛药的摄入量。最大的改善发生在睡眠（91%）、月经痛（90%）和非周期性疼痛（80%）。除了疲劳增加（17%）外，副作用很少（≤5%）。
在研究时，德国、奥地利和瑞士仍将大麻消费视为非法行为，由于复杂的要求，很少开医用大麻。结果表明，大麻已成为治疗子宫内膜异位症相关症状的一种流行的自我管理方法，导致症状显著改善。需要进一步研究以调查最佳给药方法、剂量、THC/CBD 比例、潜在副作用和长期影响，以便向患者和医疗保健提供者提供正式建议。
