Is transdermal nicotine associated with cardiovascular risk?

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), published as a randomized controlled trial.

The researchers had the unique opportunity to study the effects of transdermal nicotine on markers of haemostasis and serum lipids in patients with ulcerative colitis; all were non-smokers and were given transdermal nicotine to assess its value in maintenance therapy for colitis.

Why It Was Studied

In a controlled double-blind trial, 45 patients with ulcerative colitis in remission on 5-aminosalicylic acid, were randomly allocated to receive transdermal nicotine (20) or placebo (25) patches.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 45 patients were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

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

Because people in this Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

As a double-blind Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

A placebo (an inactive look-alike) gave the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) group a baseline to be compared against.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Administration, Cutaneous, Cardiovascular System, Colitis, Ulcerative, Fibrinogen, Hemoglobins, Hemostasis and Leukocyte Count.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in 45 patients.

The publication is from 1995 (Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London), a journal based in England.

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