A pilot study using nabilone for symptomatic treatment in Huntingtons disease.
Pilot study of nabilone in Huntingtons disease (HD). Double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of nabilone versus placebo. Primary outcome, Unified Huntingtons Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) total motor score. Secondary measures UHDRS subsections for chorea, cognition and behavior, and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). 44 randomized patients received either nabilone (1 or 2 mg) followed by placebo (n 22), or placebo followed by nabilone (n 22). Recruiting was straightforward. Nabilone safe and well tolerated, no psychotic episodes. Assessment of either dose of nabilone versus placebo showed a treatment difference of 0.86 (95% CI -1.8 to 3.52) for total motor score 1.68 (95% CI 0.44 to 2.92) for chorea 3.57 (95% CI -3.41 to 10.55) for UHDRS cognition 4.01 (95% CI -0.11 to 8.13) for UHDRS behavior, and 6.43 (95% CI 0.2 to 12.66) for the NPI. Larger longer RCT of nabilone in HD is feasible and warranted.