Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40696325›Full record

Trial reportBMC pulmonary medicine2025

Efficacy and safety of combined nebulization of unfractionated heparin, acetylcysteine, budesonide and ipratropium bromide in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Junhui Gong, Naifu Nie, Minrui Jiang, Xinyu Yang, Qinghua Wang, Jia Deng, Jun Kang, Xin Li, Li Zhang, Ying Zhang and 8 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Junhui Gong *Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Naifu Nie *Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Minrui Jiang *Department of Radiology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China.
Xinyu YangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Qinghua WangDepartment of Neurology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China.
Jia DengDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Jun KangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Xin LiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Li ZhangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Ying ZhangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Nuo LuoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Xiaoyi DuDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Ling WangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Wei ZhouDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China.
Hui CaoDepartment of Radiology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China.
Kunlin LiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China. li676@sina.com.
Guoqiang CaoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China. cgq1963@tmmu.edu.cn.
Li LiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, China. dpyyhxlili@tmmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Army Medical University 2022XL004, ZXAIZD001Chongqing Municipal Health Commission 2023jstg012the Outstanding Youth Science Fund of Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Bureau CSTB2023NSCQ-JQX0033
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPromoting the absorption of COVID-19 pneumonia is critical for reducing pulmonary sequelae and improving prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulized unfractionated heparin, acetylcysteine, budesonide, and ipratropium bromide (HABIT) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

methodsThis single-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group trial was conducted at a tertiary hospital in China. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either standard of care (SOC) or SOC plus nebulized HABIT. The HABIT protocol included daily quadruple nebulization for seven days, comprising 6000 units heparin sodium, 2 mg budesonide, 0.3 g acetylcysteine, and 0.5 mg ipratropium bromide. The primary outcome was the change in lung lesions assessed by chest CT scans on admission (Day 0) and post-treatment (Day 8).

resultsA total of 74 patients were randomized to the HABIT group (n = 37) or the control group (n = 37). Four patients per group were excluded during follow-up, leaving 66 patients for final analysis. Baseline CT scores were comparable between groups (10.55 ± 3.11 vs. 10.76 ± 2.85, p = 0.774). Post-treatment, the HABIT group showed significantly lower mean CT scores (6.6 ± 2.98 vs. 8.69 ± 2.53, p = 0.003) and greater lesion absorption (37.5% vs. 20%, p < 0.001) compared to controls. The HABIT group also exhibited a non-significant improvement in PaO

conclusionThe adjunctive HABIT regimen demonstrates favorable efficacy and safety in treating COVID-19 pneumonia.

trial registrationThe clinical trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR; www.chictr.org.cn ; ID: ChiCTR2300073871) on July 24, 2023. Ethical approval was valid from May 2023 to May 2025.

Indexed as

AcetylcysteineBronchodilator AgentsBudesonideCOVID-19 Drug TreatmentHeparinIpratropiumAdministration, InhalationAdultAgedChinaCOVID-19Drug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHospitalizationHumansMaleAcetylcysteineBronchodilator AgentsBudesonideHeparinIpratropiumCorona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19)CT severity scoresNebulization therapyPathophysiologyUnfractionated heparinViral pneumonia

Identifiers

PMID40696325
PMCPMC12281985

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.