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

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

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04608201
Acronym
NICOVID
Enrollment
32
Registered
2020-10-29
Start date
2020-12-09
Completion date
2021-11-05
Last updated
2022-02-11

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

Conditions

SARS-COV2

Keywords

SARS-COV2, COVID19, NICOTINE, transdermal patch

Brief summary

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic represents a major therapeutic challenge. The highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) and the long duration of the disease have led to a massive influx of patients admitted in health services and intensive care units. To current knowledge, there is no treatment yet that that can prevent infection from SARS-COV-2 virus, nor the disease progression to a severe form. Daily active smokers are rare among outpatients or hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Several arguments suggest that nicotine could be responsible for this protective effect thank to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). Based on epidemiological data and experimental data from scientific literature, we hypothesize that nicotine could inhibit the penetration and spread of the virus and improve the management of COVID19 , particularly in hospitalized patients to prevent adverse outcomes (death, transfer to intensive care unit, care limitation, mechanical ventilation an high flow oxygen).

Interventions

DRUGNicotine 7 mg/ 24h Transdermal Patch - 24 Hour

Treatment involves escalating doses to the target dose of 14 mg / day 1. / Dose escalation: * Level 1: 3.5 mg/day (1/2 patch) for 2 days (D1 and D2) * Level 2: 7 mg/day (1 patch) for 2 days (D3 and D4) * Level 3: 10.5 mg/day (1.5 patch) for 2 days (D5 and D6) * Level 4: target dose = 14 mg/day (from D7 to discharge from hospital + 1 week or maximum 5 weeks after the start of treatment) 2. / Decrease in dose (1 week after exit from hospital or maximum 5 weeks after the start of treatment): Decrease of 3.5 mg (1/2 patch) per week (over 3 weeks maximum)

DRUGPlacebo of NICOTINE Transdermal patch

Placebo of nicotine patch administered to the same administration schedule as in the experimental arm

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

* Age ≥ 18 years * Patients hospitalized for less than 72 hours * Non-smoking and non-vaping patients (for former smokers or former vapers: abstinent for at least 12 months) * Documented diagnosis of COVID19 * Lung disease suggestive of COVID-19 on chest scanner or need for oxygen therapy * Obtaining, informed and signed consent * Affiliated to a social security scheme or beneficiary of such a scheme (except AME)

Exclusion criteria

* WHO 10-point Clinical Progression Scale score \> 5 (patient on non-invasive or mechanical ventilation, patient in need of high-flow oxygen therapy) * Indication of transfer to intensive care unit (oxygen therapy\> 8 L / min ; out or not carried out due to LATA) * Current treatment with nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion or varenicline in the last 30 days * Known addiction problem to alcohol or other substances * Contraindication for nicotine patches: * pregnant or breastfeeding woman * lack of effective contraception for women of childbearing age * Generalized skin pathologies that may interfere with the use of a transdermal patch * stroke or myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndrome for less than 3 months * allergy to nicotine or to one of the excipients of the transdermal patch * Uncontrolled high blood pressure * Unstable or worsening angina * Severe cardiac arrhythmia (defined by wearing an automatic implantable defibrillator) * Known obliterating peripheral arterial disease * Known severe heart failure with an ejection fraction \<30%) * Known severe renal (ClCr \<30 ml / min) or hepatic (Child C) impairment * Known pheochromocytoma * Known uncontrolled hyperthyroidism * Esophagitis due to gastroesophageal reflux disease or an active peptic ulcer * Patient included in another interventional trial evaluating a health product * Patient under guardianship or curatorship * Patient deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The unfavorable outcome on Day 14Day 14Defined by scores higher than 5 on the World Health Organization 10-point Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS) on day 14

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Proportion of transfer to intensive care unit (ICU)Day 14, Day 28
Proportion of indication of transfer to intensive care unit (carried out or not in case of LATA)Day 14, Day 28
Number of days living without mechanical ventilationDay 14, Day 28
Number of days living without non-invasive ventilation and mechanical ventilationDay 4, Day 14, Day 28
Proportion of patient with a score higher than 6 on the World Health Organization 10-point Clinical Progression ScaleDay 14
Duration of hospitalizationFom day 1 up to 3 month
Proportion of patient in each category of the World Health Organization 10-point Clinical Progression ScaleDay 7, Day 14 and Day 28
Proportion of patient in each category of the National Early Warning Scale (NEWS) 2Day 7, Day14 and Day28 (or the day of discharge from hospital)
Proportion of patient with a SARS-CoV-2 viral load detectionDay 7 or the day of discharge from hospital if before day 7
Mean evolution of blood countAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of plateletsAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of blood ionogramAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of glycemiaAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Survival rateDay 14, Day 28
Mean evolution of C reactive proteinAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of Interleukin 6 (IL-6)At randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of oxygen requirements (number of liters / min)At randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Mean evolution of SaO2At randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks
Proportion of active smoker or active vapers or taking nicotine substitutes documented by examinationWeek 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Proportion of active smoker or active vapers or taking nicotine substitutes documented by urinary cotinineWeek 8 after treatment decrease
Mean score of Desire to smoke defined by French Tobacco Craving questionnaire (FTCQ12 )Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Mean score of Cigarette Withdrawal Scale (CWS)Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Mean score of Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD)Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Mean score of Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Mean score of Insomnia severity scale (ISI)Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
weight evolutionDay 1, Week 2 after treatment decrease, Week 8 after treatment decrease
Mean evolution of serum creatinineAt randomization then every 3 days until discharge, or up to 5 weeks

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

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