de Jong B, et al. - Researchers tested nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with respect to its efficacy and safety in critically ill patients. Randomization of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to two medical–surgical intensive care units (ICUs) (who smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day before ICU admission) to transdermal NRT (14 or 21 mg per day) or placebo until ICU discharge or day 30 was done. Thirty-day mortality, as well as 90-day mortality, safety, time spent without delirium, sedation and coma, and patient destination at day 30, were assessed. They found that NRT vs placebo brought about no changes in mortality or the number of (serious) adverse events. Relative to control patients, NRT patients were observed to have longer time alive without delirium, sedation and coma at day 20.