Marseille: researchers have assessed the positive effects of cannabis for people suffering from hepatitis C
HCV-infected patients (hepatitis C virus) who use cannabis are less likely than non-users to suffer from hypertension or other metabolic disorders, according to data published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Marseille, France : Researchers assessed the relationship between current and/or lifetime cannabis use and metabolic disorders in a cohort of 6364 HCV-infected subjects.
The investigators reported: Former and current cannabis use were both inversely associated with hypertension in both analyses. They also had fewer metabolic disorders (eg, obesity, diabetes, etc.) than those without a history of cannabis use.
They concluded: In a large cohort of people with chronic HCV infection living in France, current or former cannabis use was associated with a lower risk of hypertension and fewer metabolic disorders. Future research should also explore the biological mechanisms underlying these potential benefits of cannabis use, and test whether they translate to reduced mortality in this population.
Turnkey previous studies identified an association between cannabis use and lower rates of diabetes and fatty liver disease in subjects infected with hepatitis C. Other studies have consistently identified a relationship between marijuana use and lower rates of obesity.
In a large cohort of people with chronic HCV infection living in France, current or previous cannabis use was associated with a lower risk of hypertension and fewer metabolic disorders. However, no association was found for dyslipidemia. Post-HCV cure studies are needed to confirm these results using longitudinal data. Future research should also explore the biological mechanisms underlying these potential benefits of cannabis use and test whether they translate to reduced mortality in this population.
