Skip to content

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Nicotine Patches in SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Infection in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Nicotine Patches in SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Infection in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04598594
Acronym
NICOVID-REA
Enrollment
220
Registered
2020-10-22
Start date
2020-11-06
Completion date
2021-06-20
Last updated
2021-06-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Covid19, SARS-Associated Coronavirus as Cause of Disease Classified Elsewhere

Keywords

Covid19, SARS-CoV2, Mechanical ventilation, ICU, Nicotine

Brief summary

There is currently no known treatment for COVID19. Active smokers are infrequent among patients with COVID-19 which has led our team to hypothesize that nicotine is responsible for this protective effect via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). In fact, nAChR possess the ability to modulate ACE2 expression, the cellular doorway for SARS-CoV2. nAChR modulation by the virus would be responsible for the numerous clinical signs observed in COVID-19, including the cytokine storm manifested in intensive care hyperinflammatory patients. Based on epidemiological data and experimental data from scientific literature, our team hypothesize that nicotine could inhibit the penetration and propagation of SARS-CoV2. Our team also claim that nicotine could attenuate the hyperinflammatory response and cytokine storm leading to acute respiratory failure and a probable multi-organ failure associated with COVID19.

Interventions

DRUGPatch, Nicotine

Two patches of 7 mg/day Treatment at 14 mg/day during mechanical ventilation since after first successful extubation then, dose decreasing: Week 1: 10,5 mg/day Week 2 : 7 mg/day Week 3 : 3,5 mg/day

DRUGPatch, Placebo

Two patches of 7 mg/day Treatment at 14 mg/day during mechanical ventilation since after first successful extubation then, dose decreasing: Week 1: 10,5 mg/day Week 2 : 7 mg/day Week 3 : 3,5 mg/day

Sponsors

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Patient ≥ 18 years 2. Documented diagnosis of COVID 19 (according to the tests referenced on the list published on the website : https://covid-19.sante.gouv.fr.tests) 3. Hospitalized in intensive care unit, intubated and mechanically ventilated for less than 48 hours 4. Non-smoker and non-vaping or abstinent patient for at least 12 months 5. Obtain written informed consent from a relative / relative / support person. In the absence of a close/relative/trusted person, the patient may be included according to the emergency procedure by the investigating doctor. 6. Affiliated to a social security scheme or beneficiary of such a scheme (AME excluded)

Exclusion criteria

1. Chronic respiratory failure defined by PaCO2\> 60 mmHg in ambulatory patients (respiratory parameters at baseline). 2. Mechanical ventilation at home (non-invasive mechanical ventilation or via a tracheostomy) with the exception of CPAP / BIPAP used only for sleep apnea syndromes 3. Predictable mechanical ventilation duration \<48 hours 4. Moribund patient or death expected on the day of randomization, or with a SAPS II score\> 90 5. Cerebral deficiency with dilated areactive pupils or irreversible neurological pathology. 6. Other concomitant severe pathology with an estimated life expectancy of less than 1 year 7. Treatment with nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline or bupropion ongoing 8. Contraindication for nicotine patches: * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Allergy to nicotine or to one of the excipients of the transdermal patch * Generalized skin pathologies * Cerebrovascular accident or acute coronary syndrome for less than 3 months * Pheochromocytoma * Unstable or worsening angor * Severe cardiac arrhythmia (Defined by wearing an automatic implantable defibrillator) * Known severe heart failure (Defined, for this study, by systolic LV dysfunction with an LV ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 30%) * Severe renal failure (Defined by KDIGO stage 3) * Severe hepatic impairment (Defined by a factor V \<30%) * Arteriopathy obliterating of the lower limbs stage III and IV * Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism * Gastroduodenal esophagitis or ulcer undergoing treatment or active 9. Patient under guardianship or curatorship 10. Patient deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision 11. Patient included in another interventional trial evaluating a health product

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
MortalityDay 28

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Duration of hospitalization in hospitalFrom day 1 up to 3 months
Number of days alive and out of the ICU and hospitalDay 28, day 60
Evolution of viral loadDay 7, Day 14 or day of ICU discharge if before day 14samples taken on D7 and D14 or the day of discharge from intensive care unit if before D14
Proportion of active smoker or active vapers or taking nicotine substitutes documented by examination2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
Proportion of active smoker or active vapers or taking nicotine substitutes documented by urinary cotinine2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
MortalityDay 60
Time before successful extubationDay 60Without reintubation or death in the following 48 hours for tracheotomized patients: alive and not ventilated for 48 hours (with death and LATA in competitive risks).
Number of days living without invasive mechanical ventilationDay 28
Composite score incorporating death and the number of days living without mechanical ventilationDay 60This is a ranked composite score that incorporates death and days free from mechanical ventilation through day 28, calculated in such a manner that death constitutes a worse outcome than fewer days off the ventilator.16 Time free from mechanical ventilation was calculated as the number of days between successful liberation from the ventilator and study day 60. Each patient was compared with every other patient in the study and assigned a score (tie: 0, win: +1, loss: -1) for each pairwise comparison based on whom fared better
Mean evolution of blood gasesDay 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14
Mean evolution of Tidal Volume (ventilator parameters)Day 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14
Duration of hospitalization in intensive care unitFrom day 1 up to 3 months
Mean evolution of Positive Expiratory Pressure (ventilator parameters)Day 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14
Mean evolution of plateau pressure (ventilator parameters)Day 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14
Mean evolution of fraction of inspired oxygen (ventilator parameters)Day 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14
Evolution of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and its components by organDay 1 to Day 28A higher score indicate a worse outcome
Number of days alive without organ failureDay 28, day 60
Mean score of Desire to smoke defined by French Tobacco Craving scale2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
Mean score of Withdrawal symptoms scale2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
Mean score of Hospital anxiety and depression scale2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
Post traumatic stress disorder scale2 weeks after treatment decrease, 8 weeks after treatment decrease
Mean score of Insomnia severity scale2 weeks after treatment decrease
Cotinin rate in blood8 weeks after treatment decrease
Mean evolution of respiratory rate (ventilator parameters)Day 1 to Day 14measured each day from day 1 to day 14

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026