Living Systematic Review on Cannabis and Other Plant-Based Treatments for Chronic Pain: 2022 Update—Surveillance Report 4: Literature Update Period: Late January 2023 Through Mid-April 2023

Excerpt

This is the fourth surveillance report since the 2022 annual update of a living systematic review on cannabis and other plant-based treatments for chronic pain. The scope was recently expanded to include adolescents and extended to subacute pain conditions.

The systematic review synthesizes evidence on the benefits and harms of plant-based compounds (PBCs), such as cannabinoids and kratom, used to treat chronic or subacute pain, and addresses concerns about severe adverse effects, abuse, misuse, dependence, and addiction.

The purpose of this surveillance report is to describe new studies identified since the last search (late January 2023) and provide a synthesis of the accumulated evidence. Surveillance update reports are planned on a quarterly basis, and the systematic review will be updated annually. The systematic review is available on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website (https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/plant-based-chronic-pain-treatment/living-review). Table 1 provides a summary of the version history.