Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study

Anees Bahji; Yu Li; Rachel Vickers-Smith; Stephen Crystal; Robert D. Kerns; Kirsha S. Gordon; Alexandria Macmadu; Melissa Skanderson; Kaku So-Armah; Minhee L. Sung; Fiona Bhondoekhan; Brandon D.L. Marshall; E. Jennifer Edelman

doi:10.3390/ijerph19095649

Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study

Anees Bahji, Yu Li, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Stephen Crystal, Robert D. Kerns, Kirsha S. Gordon, Alexandria Macmadu, Melissa Skanderson, Kaku So-Armah, Minhee L. Sung, Fiona Bhondoekhan, Brandon D.L. Marshall, E. Jennifer Edelman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adjustment for demographics, other substance use, and adherence. Results: Among 2515 participants, 97% were male, 66% were Black, the mean age was 50 years, and 33% had detectable HIV viral load at the first study visit. In unadjusted analyses, PWH with any past-year cannabis use had 21% higher odds of a detectable viral load than those with no past-year use (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37). However, there was no significant association between cannabis use and viral load after adjustment. Conclusions: Among PWH engaged in care and receiving ART, cannabis use is associated with decreased adherence in unadjusted analyses but does not appear to directly impact viral control. Future studies are needed to understand other potential risks and benefits of cannabis use among PWH.

Original language	English
Article number	5649
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume	19
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095649
State	Published - May 1 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

HIV
adherence
cannabis
viral load

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3390/ijerph19095649

Cite this

Bahji, A., Li, Y., Vickers-Smith, R., Crystal, S., Kerns, R. D., Gordon, K. S., Macmadu, A., Skanderson, M., So-Armah, K., Sung, M. L., Bhondoekhan, F., Marshall, B. D. L., & Edelman, E. J. (2022). Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), Article 5649. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095649

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title = "Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study",

abstract = "Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adjustment for demographics, other substance use, and adherence. Results: Among 2515 participants, 97% were male, 66% were Black, the mean age was 50 years, and 33% had detectable HIV viral load at the first study visit. In unadjusted analyses, PWH with any past-year cannabis use had 21% higher odds of a detectable viral load than those with no past-year use (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37). However, there was no significant association between cannabis use and viral load after adjustment. Conclusions: Among PWH engaged in care and receiving ART, cannabis use is associated with decreased adherence in unadjusted analyses but does not appear to directly impact viral control. Future studies are needed to understand other potential risks and benefits of cannabis use among PWH.",

keywords = "HIV, adherence, cannabis, viral load",

author = "Anees Bahji and Yu Li and Rachel Vickers-Smith and Stephen Crystal and Kerns, {Robert D.} and Gordon, {Kirsha S.} and Alexandria Macmadu and Melissa Skanderson and Kaku So-Armah and Sung, {Minhee L.} and Fiona Bhondoekhan and Marshall, {Brandon D.L.} and Edelman, {E. Jennifer}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2022",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3390/ijerph19095649",

language = "English",

volume = "19",

number = "9",

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Bahji, A, Li, Y, Vickers-Smith, R, Crystal, S, Kerns, RD, Gordon, KS, Macmadu, A, Skanderson, M, So-Armah, K, Sung, ML, Bhondoekhan, F, Marshall, BDL & Edelman, EJ 2022, 'Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 9, 5649. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095649

TY - JOUR

T1 - Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care

T2 - Results from a National Cohort Study

AU - Bahji, Anees

AU - Li, Yu

AU - Vickers-Smith, Rachel

AU - Crystal, Stephen

AU - Kerns, Robert D.

AU - Gordon, Kirsha S.

AU - Macmadu, Alexandria

AU - Skanderson, Melissa

AU - So-Armah, Kaku

AU - Sung, Minhee L.

AU - Bhondoekhan, Fiona

AU - Marshall, Brandon D.L.

AU - Edelman, E. Jennifer

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA040471) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U10-AA013566, U24-AA020794, and U01-AA020790). In addition, Bahji reports research grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) through the International Collaborative Addiction Medicine Research Fellowship (R25-DA037756) and the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program (R25-DA033211). 1R01 DA047347, 1R01DA045872, NCATS UL1TR003017, New Jersey Health Foundation for Dr. Stephen Crystal. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Veterans Affairs or the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2022/5/1

Y1 - 2022/5/1

N2 - Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adjustment for demographics, other substance use, and adherence. Results: Among 2515 participants, 97% were male, 66% were Black, the mean age was 50 years, and 33% had detectable HIV viral load at the first study visit. In unadjusted analyses, PWH with any past-year cannabis use had 21% higher odds of a detectable viral load than those with no past-year use (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37). However, there was no significant association between cannabis use and viral load after adjustment. Conclusions: Among PWH engaged in care and receiving ART, cannabis use is associated with decreased adherence in unadjusted analyses but does not appear to directly impact viral control. Future studies are needed to understand other potential risks and benefits of cannabis use among PWH.

AB - Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adjustment for demographics, other substance use, and adherence. Results: Among 2515 participants, 97% were male, 66% were Black, the mean age was 50 years, and 33% had detectable HIV viral load at the first study visit. In unadjusted analyses, PWH with any past-year cannabis use had 21% higher odds of a detectable viral load than those with no past-year use (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37). However, there was no significant association between cannabis use and viral load after adjustment. Conclusions: Among PWH engaged in care and receiving ART, cannabis use is associated with decreased adherence in unadjusted analyses but does not appear to directly impact viral control. Future studies are needed to understand other potential risks and benefits of cannabis use among PWH.

KW - HIV

KW - adherence

KW - cannabis

KW - viral load

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85129642400&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19095649

DO - 10.3390/ijerph19095649

M3 - Article

C2 - 35565045

AN - SCOPUS:85129642400

SN - 1661-7827

VL - 19

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

IS - 9

M1 - 5649

ER -

Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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