Clinical and Molecular Effects of N-Acetylcysteine Treatment in COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (A Prospective)

January 21, 2026 updated by: Gülseren, University of Gaziantep

Clinical and Molecular Effects of N-Acetylcysteine Treatment in COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the clinical and molecular effects of intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) treated in the intensive care unit. The study assessed inflammatory and thromboinflammatory biomarkers, hypoxia-related gene expression (HIF-1α, ACE2, CD147), and clinical outcomes including mortality and length of ICU stay.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This single-center, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in adult patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to the intensive care unit. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or placebo in addition to standard care. NAC was administered at a dose of 150 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 50 mg/kg/day on days 2 and 3.

The primary objectives were to evaluate the effects of NAC on inflammatory and thromboinflammatory biomarkers and hypoxia-related molecular pathways. Biochemical parameters including C-reactive protein, D-dimer, ferritin, zinc levels, and PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio were measured at ICU admission and on day 4. Gene expression levels of HIF-1α, ACE2, and CD147 were analyzed in peripheral blood using RT-qPCR.

Secondary objectives included assessment of clinical outcomes such as mortality, length of intensive care unit stay, and need for mechanical ventilation. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from patients or their legal representatives.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
59

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:Age ≥18 years

PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection

Diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) according to the Berlin criteria

Admission to the intensive care unit

Written informed consent obtained from the patient or legal representative -

Exclusion Criteria:Expected mortality within 48 hours of ICU admission

Prior chronic oxygen therapy

Previous COVID-19 treatment initiated at another center

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Use of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory drugs within 30 days prior to enrollment

Known hypersensitivity to N-acetylcysteine

Use of medications affecting glutathione metabolism

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Group
Participants received intravenous N-acetylcysteine (150 mg/kg on day 1, followed by 50 mg/kg/day on days 2 and 3) in addition to standard of care.
Diagnostic test: N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
Intravenous N-acetylcysteine administered at 150 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 50 mg/kg/day on days 2 and 3, in addition to standard of care.
Other Names:
  • NAC
Placebo Comparator: Plasebo
Participants received intravenous 0.9% sodium chloride (placebo) administered at the same volume and duration as the intervention group, in addition to standard of care.
Diagnostic test: N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
Intravenous N-acetylcysteine administered at 150 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 50 mg/kg/day on days 2 and 3, in addition to standard of care.
Other Names:
  • NAC

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in inflammatory and thromboinflammatory biomarkers
Time Frame: Baseline (ICU admission) to Day 4
Change in C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer levels from baseline (ICU admission) to day 4 of treatment.
Baseline (ICU admission) to Day 4

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Gaziantep

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 10, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 10, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 21, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • TF.20.26

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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