"CFAR Supplement - Impact of Marijuana on HIV Comorbidity Management and Cardiovascular Disease Risk", Denise C. Vidot, PhD, PI

The proposed study will leverage the Principal Investigator's marijuana expertise in collaboration with CFAR investigators to analyze urine and blood samples to first quantify amounts of THC/CBD in urine and blood among medical marijuana users (N=25) and self-prescribed medical marijuana users (N=25) recruited from an established cohort of racially/ethnic diverse PLWHA.

 
Then, we will examine the route of administration and impact of THC/CBD levels on cardiometabolic blood biomarkers and preclinical atherosclerosis ascertained via ultrasound measurement of carotid intra-media thickness. Aims are to: (1) determine the impact of THC/CBD levels on cardiometabolic biomarkers, and (2) examine the impact of THC/CBD levels on preclinical atherosclerosis. Our central hypothesis is that marijuana users with higher THC than CBD levels will have worse outcomes than marijuana users with higher CBD than THC levels. Studying the impact of THC/CBD on cardiometabolic and CVD risk will inform titration recommendations for THC and CBD ratios within medical marijuana among patients that use to manage symptoms related to HIV/AIDS.