TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of cannabis use on the course of schizophrenia in male patients: A prospective cohort study
AU - van Dijk, Daniel
AU - Koeter, Maarten W. J.
AU - Hijman, Ron
AU - Kahn, René S.
AU - van den Brink, Wim
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Background: Findings on the impact of cannabis use on the course of schizophrenia are inconsistent and not conclusive. Aims: To study the effect of cannabis use on the course of schizophrenia taking into account the effects of the quantity of cannabis use and important confounders. Methods: Prospective cohort study with assessments of symptoms, confounders and hospitalizations at baseline, 6 month and 12 month follow up. Results: In a representative cohort of 145 male patients with schizophrenia, 68 (46.9%) used cannabis. Mean age at onset of schizophrenia in cannabis using patients was significantly lower than in non-cannabis using patients. No other cross-sectional demographic or clinical differences were observed between users and non-users. In a series of longitudinal analyses, cannabis use was not associated with differences in psychopathology, but relapse in terms of the number of hospitalizations was significantly higher in cannabis using patients compared to non-cannabis using patients. Conclusions: Patients with schizophrenia using cannabis are more frequently hospitalized than non-cannabis using patients but do not differ with respect to psychopathology. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
AB - Background: Findings on the impact of cannabis use on the course of schizophrenia are inconsistent and not conclusive. Aims: To study the effect of cannabis use on the course of schizophrenia taking into account the effects of the quantity of cannabis use and important confounders. Methods: Prospective cohort study with assessments of symptoms, confounders and hospitalizations at baseline, 6 month and 12 month follow up. Results: In a representative cohort of 145 male patients with schizophrenia, 68 (46.9%) used cannabis. Mean age at onset of schizophrenia in cannabis using patients was significantly lower than in non-cannabis using patients. No other cross-sectional demographic or clinical differences were observed between users and non-users. In a series of longitudinal analyses, cannabis use was not associated with differences in psychopathology, but relapse in terms of the number of hospitalizations was significantly higher in cannabis using patients compared to non-cannabis using patients. Conclusions: Patients with schizophrenia using cannabis are more frequently hospitalized than non-cannabis using patients but do not differ with respect to psychopathology. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2012.01.016
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2012.01.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 22313726
SN - 0920-9964
VL - 137
SP - 50
EP - 57
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
IS - 1-3
ER -