This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Disdier, P. Articles by Weiller, P.-J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Disdier, P. Articles by Weiller, P.-J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Cannabis Arteritis Revisited

Ten New Case Reports

Brigitte Granel, MD

Jacques Serratrice, MD

Joël Constans, MD

Ulrique Michon-Pasturel

Eric Hachulla, MD

Claude Conri, MD

Bernard Devulder, MD

Laure Swiader, MD

Philippe Piquet, MD

Alain Branchereau, MD

Jacqueline Jouglard, MD

Guy Moulin, MD

Pierre-Jean Weiller, MD

The purpose of this paper was to revisit the old concept of cannabis arteritis first described in the 1960s and report 10 new cases. Ten male patients, with a median age of 23.7 years developed subacute distal ischemia of lower or upper limbs, leading to necrosis in the toes and/or fingers and sometimes to distal limb gangrene. Two of the patients also presented with venous thrombosis and three patients were suffering from a recent Raynaud's phenomenon. Biological test results did not show evidence of the classical vascular risk factors for throm bosis. Arteriographic evaluation in all cases revealed distal abnormalities in the arteries of feet, legs, forearms, and hands resembling those of Buerger's disease. A collateral circulation sometimes with opacification of the vasa nervorum was noted. In some cases, arterial proximal atherosclerotic lesions and venous thrombosis were observed. All patients were moderate tobacco smokers and regular cannabis users. Despite treatment with ilomedine and heparin in all cases, five amputations were necessary in four patients. The vasoconstrictor effect of cannabis on the vascular system has been known for a long time. It has been shown that delta-8- and delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinols may induce peripheral vasoconstrictor activity. Cannabis arteritis resembles Buerger's disease, but patients were moderate tobacco smokers and regular cannabis users. These cases show that prolonged use of cannabis could be an additive risk factor for juvenile and young adult arteritis. Cannabis arteritis is a forgotten and severe occlusive vascular disease occurring in young adults. Search for cannabis use may be an important tool for a better knowledge of arteritis in young smokers.

Angiology, Vol. 52, No. 1, 1-5 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/000331970105200101


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?