Correlation of Breath and Blood Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Concentrations and Release Kinetics Following Controlled Administration of Smoked Cannabis

Abstract BACKGROUND Cannabis use results in impaired driving and an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes. Cannabinoid concentrations in blood and other matrices can remain high long after use, prohibiting the differentiation between acute and chronic exposure. Exhaled breath has been proposed as an alternative matrix in which concentrations may more closely correspond to the window of impairment; however, efficient capture and analytically sensitive detection methods are required for measurement. METHODS Timed blood and breath samples were collected from 20 volunteers before and after controlled administration of smoked cannabis. Cannabinoid concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS to determine release kinetics and correlation between the 2 matrices. RESULTS Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was detected in exhaled breath for all individuals at baseline through 3 h after cannabis use. THC concentrations in breath were highest at the 15-min timepoint (median = 17.8 pg/L) and declined to <5% of this concentration in all participants 3 h after smoking. The decay curve kinetics observed for blood and breath were highly correlated within individuals and across the population. CONCLUSIONS THC can be reliably detected throughout the presumed 3-h impairment window following controlled administration of smoked cannabis. The findings support breath THC concentrations as representing a physiological process and are correlated to blood concentrations, albeit with a shorter window of detection.

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Relationships between Problematic Cannabis Use and Risky Behaviors in Spanish Adolescents

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16173029 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (17) ◽

pp. 3029

Author(s):

Raquel Alarcó-Rosales ◽

Miriam Sánchez-SanSegundo ◽

Rosario Ferrer-Cascales ◽

Natalia Albaladejo-Blázquez ◽

Nicolás Ruiz-Robledillo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Motor Vehicle Accident ◽

Risky Behaviors ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Physical Assault ◽

Cannabis Abuse ◽

The Past ◽

Vehicle Accident ◽

Increased Risk

This study examined the relations between problematic cannabis use, physical assault, and getting involved in a motor vehicle accident under the influence of cannabis in a sample of adolescents randomly selected from 25 public and semiprivate high schools in Alicante (Spain). Participants (n = 648) completed The Spanish National Standardized Survey about drug use in high school adolescents (ESTUDES, 2017), which includes the cannabis abuse screening test (CAST). Prevalence of cannabis use across the life-span and within the past 30 days was 37.5% and 17.4%, respectively. CAST scores were associated with an increased risk of driving under the effects of cannabis, riding shotgun, and physical assault, but not with an increased risk of having a motor vehicle accident. There were no differences between boys and girls in the association of problematic cannabis use with risky behaviors. This result highlights the importance of comprehensive prevention and education strategies for adolescents at high risk of cannabis use.

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Cannabis Use and Car Crashes: A Review

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.643315 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ulrich W. Preuss ◽

Marilyn A. Huestis ◽

Miriam Schneider ◽

Derik Hermann ◽

Beat Lutz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neuropsychological Functioning ◽

Included Study ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Driving Safety ◽

Crash Risk ◽

Blood Concentrations ◽

Clear Cut ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Meta Analyses

In this review, state-of-the-art evidence on the relationship between cannabis use, traffic crash risks, and driving safety were analyzed. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other relevant papers published within the last decade were systematically searched and synthesized. Findings show that meta-analyses and culpability studies consistently indicate a slightly but significantly increased risk of crashes after acute cannabis use. These risks vary across included study type, crash severity, and method of substance application and measurement. Some studies show a significant correlation between high THC blood concentrations and car crash risk. Most studies do not support this relationship at lower THC concentrations. However, no scientifically supported clear cut-off concentration can be derived from these results. Further research is needed to determine dose-response effects on driving skills combined with measures of neuropsychological functioning related to driving skills and crash risk.

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Cannabis use in Switzerland: The role of attribution of drug use to friends, urbanization and repression 1The study was supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG) Grant 316.96.5980.

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024//1421-0185.60.2.99 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 99-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Holger Schmid

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Hierarchical Linear Model ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Structural Variables ◽

Hbsc Study ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Highly Correlated ◽

Individual Use

Cannabis use does not show homogeneous patterns in a country. In particular, urbanization appears to influence prevalence rates, with higher rates in urban areas. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) was employed to analyze these structural influences on individuals in Switzerland. Data for this analysis were taken from the Switzerland survey of Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study, the most recent survey to assess drug use in a nationally representative sample of 3473 15-year-olds. A total of 1487 male and 1620 female students indicated their cannabis use and their attributions of drug use to friends. As second level variables we included address density in the 26 Swiss Cantons as an indicator of urbanization and officially recorded offences of cannabis use in the Cantons as an indicator of repressive policy. Attribution of drug use to friends is highly correlated with cannabis use. The correlation is even more pronounced in urban Cantons. However, no association between recorded offences and cannabis use was found. The results suggest that structural variables influence individuals. Living in an urban area effects the attribution of drug use to friends. On the other hand repressive policy does not affect individual use.

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836-P: Cannabis Use in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Is Associated with Poor Glycemic Control and Increased Risk for Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Diabetes ◽

10.2337/db19-836-p ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 68 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 836-P ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

VIRAL N. SHAH ◽

DANIEL D. TAYLOR ◽

NICOLE C. FOSTER ◽

ROY BECK ◽

HALIS K. AKTURK ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 1 Diabetes ◽

Glycemic Control ◽

Diabetic Ketoacidosis ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Poor Glycemic Control ◽

Increased Risk

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Analysis of variations in and correlations between selected physical parameters of common beech (Fagus silvatica L.) nuts

Technical Sciences ◽

10.31648/ts.2716 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (21) ◽

pp. 49-63

Author(s):

Zdzisław Kaliniewicz ◽

Piotr Markowski ◽

Andrzej Anders ◽

Paweł Tylek ◽

Zbigniew Krzysiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Correlation Analysis ◽

Cross Sections ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Physical Parameters ◽

Common Beech ◽

Mesh Screen ◽

Before And After ◽

Fagus Silvatica ◽

Highly Correlated

The basic dimensions and the mass of common beech nuts and seeds from five nut batches, harvested from tree stands in northern Poland, were determined. Environmental conditions had a greater influence on seed plumpness than the age of tree stands. The results of measurements were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance, correlation analysis and linear regression analysis. Despite differences in their plumpness, nuts were characterized by nearly identical cross-sections which resembled an equilateral triangle. The thickness of nuts and seeds was highly correlated with their mass, and this information can facilitate seed husking and separation into mass categories. Before and after husking, seeds should be separated with the use of a mesh screen with longitudinal openings. Medium-sized (most numerous) seeds were separated into the following plumpness categories using a screen separator with ≠6 mm and ≠7 mm openings: 84% of moderately plump seeds, 3% of seeds with reduced plumpness, and 13% of plump seeds.

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341 Acute effects of seltorexant, a selective orexin-2 antagonist (JNJ- 42847922), on driving after bedtime administration

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.340 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A136-A136

Author(s):

S Brooks ◽

R G J A Zuiker ◽

G E Jacobs ◽

I Kezic ◽

A Savitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postural Stability ◽

Driving Simulator ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Subjective Effects ◽

Driving Ability ◽

Post Dose ◽

Double Blind ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Subjective Sleepiness ◽

The Difference

Abstract Introduction Seltorexant (JNJ-42847922), a potent and selective antagonist of the human orexin-2 receptor, is being developed for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Seltorexant also has sleep-promoting properties. Investigating the effects of sleep-promoting medications on driving is important because some of these agents (e.g. GABAA receptor agonists) may be associated with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents. We evaluated the effect of seltorexant on driving after forced awakening at night, using a validated driving simulator. Methods This double-blind, placebo and active-controlled, randomized, 3-way cross-over study was conducted in 18 male and 18 female healthy subjects. All subjects received seltorexant 40 mg, zolpidem 10 mg, or placebo 15 minutes before bedtime. Eighteen subjects were awakened at 2- and 6-hours post-dose, and the other 18 at 4- and 8-hours post-dose. At those timepoints, pharmacokinetics, objective (standard deviation of the lateral position [SDLP]) and subjective effects (using Perceived Driving Quality and Effort Scales) on driving ability, postural stability and subjective sleepiness were assessed. Results For seltorexant, the SDLP difference from placebo (95% confidence interval) at 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-hours post-dose was 3.9 cm (1.26, 6.60), 0.9 cm (-1.08, 2.92), 1.1 cm (-0.42, 2.63), and 0.6 cm (-2.75, 1.55), respectively vs. 9.6 cm (6.97, 12.38), 6.6 cm (3.53, 9.60), 4.7 cm (1.46, 7.85), and 1.3cm (-1.16, 3.80), respectively for zolpidem. The difference from placebo was significant at 2-hours after taking seltorexant, while the difference from placebo was significant at 2, 4 and 6-hours after zolpidem. Subjective driving quality was decreased for both drugs at all time points and driving effort was increased up to 4-hours post-dose for both medications. Subjective sleepiness showed a significant increase compared to placebo 2- and 4-hours after administration of either drug. Postural stability was decreased up to 2-hours after administration of seltorexant, and up to 4-hours after administration of zolpidem. Conclusion Compared to zolpidem, objective effects on driving performance were more transient after seltorexant administration and largely normalized by 4–6 hours post-dose. Support (if any) This work was sponsored by Janssen R&D.

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Modular Breath Analyzer (MBA): Introduction of a Breath Analyzer Platform Based on an Innovative and Unique, Modular eNose Concept for Breath Diagnostics and Utilization of Calibration Transfer Methods in Breath Analysis Studies

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26123776 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (12) ◽

pp. 3776

Author(s):

Carsten Jaeschke ◽

Marta Padilla ◽

Johannes Glöckler ◽

Inese Polaka ◽

Martins Leja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Life ◽

Sensor Arrays ◽

Breath Analysis ◽

Exhaled Breath ◽

Calibration Transfer ◽

Early Disease Detection ◽

Exhaled Breath Analysis ◽

Breath Analyzer ◽

Analysis Experiment ◽

Before And After

Exhaled breath analysis for early disease detection may provide a convenient method for painless and non-invasive diagnosis. In this work, a novel, compact and easy-to-use breath analyzer platform with a modular sensing chamber and direct breath sampling unit is presented. The developed analyzer system comprises a compact, low volume, temperature-controlled sensing chamber in three modules that can host any type of resistive gas sensor arrays. Furthermore, in this study three modular breath analyzers are explicitly tested for reproducibility in a real-life breath analysis experiment with several calibration transfer (CT) techniques using transfer samples from the experiment. The experiment consists of classifying breath samples from 15 subjects before and after eating a specific meal using three instruments. We investigate the possibility to transfer calibration models across instruments using transfer samples from the experiment under study, since representative samples of human breath at some conditions are difficult to simulate in a laboratory. For example, exhaled breath from subjects suffering from a disease for which the biomarkers are mostly unknown. Results show that many transfer samples of all the classes under study (in our case meal/no meal) are needed, although some CT methods present reasonably good results with only one class.

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Association between age of cannabis initiation and gray matter covariance networks in recent onset psychosis

Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1038/s41386-021-00977-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nora Penzel ◽

◽

Linda A. Antonucci ◽

Linda T. Betz ◽

Rachele Sanfelici ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gray Matter ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Developmental Trajectory ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Brain Maturation ◽

Confounding Factors ◽

Recent Onset ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Structural Brain

AbstractCannabis use during adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis. According to a current hypothesis, this results from detrimental effects of early cannabis use on brain maturation during this vulnerable period. However, studies investigating the interaction between early cannabis use and brain structural alterations hitherto reported inconclusive findings. We investigated effects of age of cannabis initiation on psychosis using data from the multicentric Personalized Prognostic Tools for Early Psychosis Management (PRONIA) and the Cannabis Induced Psychosis (CIP) studies, yielding a total sample of 102 clinically-relevant cannabis users with recent onset psychosis. GM covariance underlies shared maturational processes. Therefore, we performed source-based morphometry analysis with spatial constraints on structural brain networks showing significant alterations in schizophrenia in a previous multisite study, thus testing associations of these networks with the age of cannabis initiation and with confounding factors. Earlier cannabis initiation was associated with more severe positive symptoms in our cohort. Greater gray matter volume (GMV) in the previously identified cerebellar schizophrenia-related network had a significant association with early cannabis use, independent of several possibly confounding factors. Moreover, GMV in the cerebellar network was associated with lower volume in another network previously associated with schizophrenia, comprising the insula, superior temporal, and inferior frontal gyrus. These findings are in line with previous investigations in healthy cannabis users, and suggest that early initiation of cannabis perturbs the developmental trajectory of certain structural brain networks in a manner imparting risk for psychosis later in life.

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Kidney Injury Caused by Preeclamptic Pregnancy Recovers Postpartum in a Transgenic Rat Model

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22073762 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. 3762

Author(s):

Sarah M. Kedziora ◽

Kristin Kräker ◽

Lajos Markó ◽

Julia Binder ◽

Meryam Sugulle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rat Model ◽

Renal Damage ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

Tissue Growth ◽

Female Rats ◽

Male Rats ◽

Renal Diseases ◽

Transgenic Rat ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Before And After

Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by the onset of hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg) and presence of proteinuria (>300 mg/L/24 h urine) or other maternal organ dysfunctions. During human PE, renal injuries have been observed. Some studies suggest that women with PE diagnosis have an increased risk to develop renal diseases later in life. However, in human studies PE as a single cause of this development cannot be investigated. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of PE on postpartum renal damage in an established transgenic PE rat model. Female rats harboring the human-angiotensinogen gene develop a preeclamptic phenotype after mating with male rats harboring the human-renin gene, but are normotensive before and after pregnancy. During pregnancy PE rats developed mild tubular and glomerular changes assessed by histologic analysis, increased gene expression of renal damage markers such as kidney injury marker 1 and connective-tissue growth factor, and albuminuria compared to female wild-type rats (WT). However, four weeks postpartum, most PE-related renal pathologies were absent, including albuminuria and elevated biomarker expression. Only mild enlargement of the glomerular tuft could be detected. Overall, the glomerular and tubular function were affected during pregnancy in the transgenic PE rat. However, almost all these pathologies observed during PE recovered postpartum.

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610 Self-Reported Sleep and Circadian Characteristics Predict Future Substance Use: A Longitudinal Analysis from the NCANDA Study

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.608 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A240-A240

Author(s):

Brant Hasler ◽

Jessica Graves ◽

Meredith Wallace ◽

Stephanie Claudatos ◽

Fiona Baker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Substance Use ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Daytime Sleepiness ◽

Parental Education ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Longitudinal Design ◽

Random Effect ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Introduction Growing evidence indicates that sleep characteristics predict later substance use and related problems during adolescence and young adulthood. However, most prior studies have assessed a limited range of sleep characteristics, studied only a narrow age span, and included relatively few follow-up assessments. Here, we used multiple years of data from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study, which spans the adolescent period with an accelerated longitudinal design, to examine whether multiple sleep characteristics in any year predict substance use the following year. Methods The sample included 831 participants (423 females; age 12–21 years at baseline) from NCANDA. Sleep variables included the previous year’s circadian preference, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, timing of midsleep (weekday and weekend), and sleep duration (weekday and weekend). Each sleep variable’s association with the subsequent year’s substance use (cannabis use or alcohol binge severity) across years 1–5 was tested separately using generalized linear mixed models (zero-inflated Negative Binomial for cannabis; ordinal for binge severity) with age, sex, race, visit, parental education, previous year’s substance use (yes/no) as covariates and subject as a random effect. Results With regard to cannabis use, greater eveningness and shorter weekday sleep duration predicted an increased risk for additional days of cannabis use the following year, while greater eveningness and later weekend midsleep predicted a greater likelihood of any cannabis use the following year. With regard to alcohol binge severity, greater eveningness, greater daytime sleepiness, and shorter sleep duration (weekday and weekend) all predicted an increased risk for more severe alcohol bingeing the following year. Post-hoc stratified analyses indicated that some of these associations may differ between high school-age and college-age participants. Conclusion Our findings extend prior work, indicating that eveningness and later sleep timing, as well as shorter sleep duration, especially on weekdays, are risk factors for future cannabis use and alcohol misuse. These results underscore a need for greater attention to sleep characteristics as potential risk factors for substance use in adolescents and young adults and may inform future areas of intervention. Support (if any) Grants from NIH: R01AA025626 (Hasler) and U01AA021690 (Clark) and UO1 AA021696 (Baker & Colrain)

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