Recent trends in cyclic vomiting syndrome-associated hospitalisations with liberalisation of cannabis use in the state of Colorado

Abstract

Background: Currently, 33 states in the United States along with the District of Columbia have legalised cannabis in some forms. There is a paucity of data on the impact of legalisation of cannabis use on hospitalisations due to cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS).

Aim: To study the trends in CVS-related hospitalisations and cannabis use in CVS in relation to legalisation of recreational cannabis use in Colorado.

Methods: All hospital admissions in Colorado between 2010 and 2014 with the diagnosis of CVS were identified using the Colorado State Inpatient Database. Five-year trends in CVS-related hospitalisations along with the cannabis use were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of cannabis use in CVS.

Results: There was a significant increase in CVS-related hospitalisations by 46% from 806 in 2010 to 1180 in 2014 when CVS was included as all-listed diagnoses (P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of cannabis use in CVS (13% with CVS as primary diagnosis and 17% with CVS as all-listed diagnoses) was much higher than non-CVS-related hospitalisations (1.7%) (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Cannabis use increased dramatically in both CVS and non-CVS-related hospitalisations following legalisation of cannabis for recreational use in 2012.

Conclusion: Our study shows a significant increase in CVS-related hospitalisations concomitant with an increase in cannabis use with its liberalisation in Colorado. Future studies on the relationship between cannabis use and hyperemesis are warranted, especially with its ongoing legalisation in the United States.

Keywords: Colorado; cannabis; cyclic vomiting syndrome; hospitalisation; legalisation.