Regular marijuana use ups risk of overactive bladder

Individuals who regularly use marijuana are at greater risk of having an overactive bladder, reveals a recent study in the US.

A team of investigators gathered data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005‒2018 for analysis. They used the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score scale to identify the presence of overactive bladder for each participant.

The association between marijuana use and the onset and severity of overactive bladder was analysed using multivariate logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression, respectively.

Nearly one in four (24 percent) of the US population reported using marijuana regularly. Regular marijuana users were younger, thinner, more likely to be male, smokers, low-income, less educated, unmarried, and non-Hispanic White/Black when compared with nonregular users.

Multivariate analysis revealed that marijuana exposure could independently increase the risk of overactive bladder (odds ratio [OR], 1.39, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.16‒1.66). Ordinal logistic regression also revealed the association between marijuana exposure and severity of overactive bladder (OR, 1.45, 95 percent CI, 1.30‒1.60).

In addition, all frequencies of regular marijuana use demonstrated virtually consistent effects on the onset and severity of overactive bladder.

“Our data do not support the evidence for the use of cannabinoids in the medical treatment of patients with overactive bladder, especially given the thorny health problems caused by marijuana,” the investigators said.

“Previous studies have shown that marijuana can relieve lower urinary tract symptoms, which can pose a significant public health burden,” they noted.