Transdermal nicotine patch enhances type I collagen synthesis in abstinent smokers

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in this randomized controlled trial publication.

Cigarette smokers deposit less collagen, expressed as hydroxyproline, in granulation tissue than nonsmokers.

During this period and during smoking, an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube was implanted into the subcutis.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 39 subjects were involved.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Blinding on both sides kept the subjects and researchers unaware of who received Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide).

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) could be set against what happens without it.

The timeline in the abstract includes 10 days.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Administration, Cutaneous, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Collagen Type I, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Hydroxyproline, Nicotine and Proline.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in 39 subjects over 10 days.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2006 (Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) compound page, all human trials.