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

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.