(B-293) Effect of Cannabis on Renal Function in Patients Using Cannabis for Medical Purposes: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Monday, August 25, 2025

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM ET

Presenting Author(s)

AS

Arvis Abraham Sebgo

Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Co-Author(s)

Zoumana Cheick Bérété, MD

Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
AZ

Arsène Zongo

Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Axis, CHU de Québec - Université Laval Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Québec, Quebec, Canada
DE

Dean Eurich

School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada., Alberta, Canada
CL

Cerina Lee

Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
JD

Jason Dyck

Cardiovascular Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Background: Despites being increasingly used for medical and recreational purposes, the renal safety of cannabinoids remains not well known.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the medical use of cannabis and the risk of acute kidney diseases in Ontario (Canada) patients who received an authorized prescription of cannabis between 2014 and 2020, compared to population-based controls.

Methods: This is a retrospective longitudinal cohort study conducted on adults without a history of kidney diseases using clinical and health administrative data. Exposure was defined by the prescription of cannabis and follow-up in Ontario cannabis clinics. The outcome was defined with claims for acute kidney diseases identified during the follow-up using ICD-9/10 codes 5845, 5846, 5847, 5848, 5849/N17.0, N17.1, N17.2, N17.8, N17.9. .Inverse probability weighting was used to minimize confounding. Weighted Cox regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios

Results: The cohort consists of 48,948 exposed to cannabis and 166,140 controls. The majority were female (55.09%) and more than 20% were aged ≥ 65 years. The incidence rates of the outcome was 4.94/1000 person-years among the exposed and 4.55/1000 person-years among the controls.
Regression analyses, stratified by time due to a lack of proportionality of risks, showed a higher and significant risk of acute kidney disease in the first six months (Hazard ratio: 1.41 CI95%: 1.15-1.71), and a non-significant risk in the period after (HR: 1.01 CI95%: 0.90-1.12).

Conclusions: The results suggest a higher risk of acute kidney failure in the first few months following the prescription of cannabis. This risk could be explained by the complexity to manage cannabis use at treatment initiation (choice of products, concentrations, inadequate titration, etc.).