Longitudinal assessment of the effect of cannabis use on hospital readmission rates in early psychosis: A 6-year follow-up in an inpatient cohort

TY - JOUR

T1 - Longitudinal assessment of the effect of cannabis use on hospital readmission rates in early psychosis

T2 - A 6-year follow-up in an inpatient cohort

AU - Colizzi, Marco

AU - Burnett, Natoy

AU - Costa, Rosalia

AU - De Agostini, Mattia

AU - Griffin, James

AU - Bhattacharyya, Sagnik

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in psychosis patients and has been identified as a risk factor for relapse and subsequent hospital readmission, having substantial economic implications. To clarify the contribution of cannabis consumption to hospital readmission, a consecutive inpatient cohort of 161 early psychosis patients was included into the study. Data on cannabis use at admission and number of hospital readmissions and length of stay (LOS, number of inpatient days) in a 6-year follow-up was extracted from clinical notes. 62.4% of the patients had lifetime cannabis use. Their admission lasted on average 54.3±75 days and over the following 6 years patients had 2.2±2.8 hospital readmissions, for a total of 197.4±331.5 days. Cannabis use significantly predicted the number of hospital readmissions and LOS in the following 6 years, the latter remaining significant after adjusting for use of other substance. Cannabis-using patients of male gender and Black ethnicity had a longer LOS at follow-up compared to female patients and other ethnic groups, respectively. Having a history of cannabis use when admitted to an early intervention inpatient unit for psychosis is associated with a higher number of subsequent hospital readmissions and a longer LOS, especially in male and Black patients.

AB - Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in psychosis patients and has been identified as a risk factor for relapse and subsequent hospital readmission, having substantial economic implications. To clarify the contribution of cannabis consumption to hospital readmission, a consecutive inpatient cohort of 161 early psychosis patients was included into the study. Data on cannabis use at admission and number of hospital readmissions and length of stay (LOS, number of inpatient days) in a 6-year follow-up was extracted from clinical notes. 62.4% of the patients had lifetime cannabis use. Their admission lasted on average 54.3±75 days and over the following 6 years patients had 2.2±2.8 hospital readmissions, for a total of 197.4±331.5 days. Cannabis use significantly predicted the number of hospital readmissions and LOS in the following 6 years, the latter remaining significant after adjusting for use of other substance. Cannabis-using patients of male gender and Black ethnicity had a longer LOS at follow-up compared to female patients and other ethnic groups, respectively. Having a history of cannabis use when admitted to an early intervention inpatient unit for psychosis is associated with a higher number of subsequent hospital readmissions and a longer LOS, especially in male and Black patients.

KW - Schizophrenia

KW - Substance use

KW - Relapse

KW - Male gender

KW - Black ethnicity

U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.005

DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.005

M3 - Article

SN - 0165-1781

JO - Psychiatry Research

JF - Psychiatry Research

ER -