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Topical Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Digital Ulcers in Patients with Scleroderma: Comparative Analysis and
Amelia Spinella1, Marco de Pinto, Carlo Baraldi
1At University Hospital of Modena, Italy, Amelia Spinella, MD, PhD, is Medical Consultant, Rheumatology Unit; Marco de Pinto, MD, is Resident, Rheumatology Unit; Carlo Baraldi, PhD, is Medical Consultant, Medical Toxicology-Headache and Drug Abuse Research Center; Claudio Galluzzo, MD, is Resident, Rheumatology Unit; Sofia Testoni, MD, is Resident, Rheumatology Unit; Federica Lumetti, MD, is Medical Assistant, Rheumatology Unit; Luca Parenti, RN, is Nurse and Data Manager, Rheumatology Unit; Simona Guerzoni, MD, is Medical Consultant, Medical Toxicology-Headache and Drug Abuse Research Center; Carlo Salvarani, MD, is Full Professor and Head of Department; and Dilia Giuggioli, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor, Rheumatology Unit.
Insights
Topical cannabidiol (CBD) significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life for patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and digital ulcers. This treatment offers a promising alternative for managing SSc-related pain.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Dermatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) frequently causes digital ulcers, leading to significant pain and disability.
- Current treatments for SSc-related digital ulcers have limitations in managing pain and improving patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Topical cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrates potential as an effective therapeutic agent for managing pain in SSc patients with digital ulcers.
- CBD may improve overall well-being by enhancing sleep quality and reducing the need for analgesics.
Objective:
To explore the effect of topical cannabidiol (CBD) in treating digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods:
In total, 45 patients with SSc who had digital ulcers were consecutively enrolled between January 2019 and December 2019. Of the participants, 25 were treated with CBD during surgical debridement and 20 were treated with standard local therapy. A numeric rating scale for pain and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index were administered at the baseline and at the end of treatment.
Results:
Local treatment with CBD was significantly associated with lower pain scores, higher health assessment scores, and an increase in participants' total hours of sleep. Patients in the control group more frequently required additional analgesic therapy.
Conclusions:
Topical CBD may be a valuable tool to treat pain related to digital ulcers in patients with SSc.
