Pain Research: Innovative Strategies With Marijuana

The Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire assesses self-rated physical disability caused by low back pain. Scores range from 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating more pain interference.

Tests levels of recent inflammation (panel of inflammatory markers) before and after cannabis use. Higher numbers indicate higher levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results are in pg/mL and are separated by the three cytokines: IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-10.

Co-outcomes testing cognitive impairment in the domains of immediate and delayed recall (ISLT) and attention and inhibitory control (FICA). Cognitive outcomes are measured in standard scores (e.g. Range of >70 to >140 (Mean of 100 and SD of 15) with higher scores indicating better performance) and can be averaged to reflect a Standard score of overall cognitive function.

Subjective report of cognitive function using the Perceived Cognitive Impairments subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Scale (FACT-Cog). Possible scores range from 0-80 where higher scores are associated with higher levels of perceived impairment.

Test effects of cannabinoids on pain using the NIH Pain intensity scale for "current pain" (on a scale from 0-10 with 10 being the worst).

Self-report measure across primary domains of diet, assessment of sleep quality, and health-related well-being. Each domain was assessed with the following single items:

Diet: "In general, how healthy is your overall diet? Would you say" (response options 0- excellent; 1- very good; 2- good; 3- fair; 4- poor) Sleep Quality: "During the past 2 weeks, how would you rate your sleep quality overall?" (response options 0- very good; 1- fairly good; 2- fairly bad; 3- very bad") Health Related Wellbeing: "In general, how would you describe your health?" (response options 0- excellent; 1- very good; 2- good; 3- fair; 4- poor)

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI) is a self-report assessment of sleep quality.9 self-reported items belongs to one of seven subcategories: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. Scores for each question range from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating more acute sleep disturbances (Scores range from 0 to 21 overall, with scores greater than 5 suggesting significant sleep difficulties).

Motor control assessed via dynamic sway and proprioception. Motor outcomes were aggregated to reflect a Z-score of overall motor function. Scores reported below are sum of Motor Battery Balance z-scores (Eyes Open, Eyes Closed, and Head Back). Higher scores correspond to worse balance- there is not a maximum score.

The DASS21 is a 21-item scale that measures self-reported change in anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. Participants are asked to use 4-point severity/frequency scales (higher values indicate greater severity) to rate the extent to which they have experienced each state. For this aim, the Depression and Stress subscales were used.

Depression subscale score range 0-21 Normal (0 to 4), Mild (5 to 6), Moderate, (7 to 10), Severe (11 to 13), Extremely Severe (14 and above) Stress subscale score range 0-33 Normal (0 to 14), Mild (15 to 18), Moderate, (19 to 25), Severe (26 to 33)

Co-outcomes testing cognitive impairment after acute use of cannabis in the domains of immediate and delayed recall (ISLT) and and attention and inhibitory control (FICA). Cognitive outcomes are measured in standard scores (e.g. Range of <70 to >140 (Mean of 100 and SD of 15) with higher scores indicating better performance) and can be averaged to reflect a Standard score of overall cognitive function.

Patient Global Impression of Change Scale (PGIC) measures self-reported change on a 1-7 scale (i.e. from 1 (very much worse) to 7 (very much improved) in pain. Changes in this measure will be tested in relation to THC and CBD blood levels. Scale possible score range 1-7, with higher scores indicating the largest amount of possible change. Importantly, it is a subjective self-assessment of change and is only measured at the 2 week timepoint.

Brief self-report from participants on pain and sleep in the past 24 hours. These are 1-item novel questions in a daily, text based survey. Pain and sleep are on a scale of 1-10, with higher numbers being more pain or better sleep. Score is an average rating over 14 days.

Self-report from participants on pain levels (0-10 with 10 being worst pain), sleep quality (0-10 with 10 being best sleep), perceived cognitive ability (0 - 27 with 27 being the best), perceived cognitive impairments (0-72 with 72 being the worst), and general health (0-4 with 4 being best). Scores are reported as average scores reported once a month over six months.

Physical activity via objective daily data on wearable watch as measured by average minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

Physical activity via subjective self-report data using the Stanford Leisure-Time Activity Categorical item with 6 item responses (L-CAT; 1-6). Scores are reported as a mean between 1 and 6, larger numbers correspond to higher levels of activity.