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Evidence summaries

Treatments for Scabies

Topical permethrin appears to be the most effective treatment for scabies. Ivermectin appears to be an effective oral treatment. Level of evidence: "B"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 22 studies with a total of 2 676 subjects. One trial was placebo controlled, 18 compared two or more drug treatments, three compared treatment regimens, and one compared different drug vehicles.

Fewer treatment failures occurred by day seven with oral ivermectin compared with placebo in one small trial (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.51, 55 participants). Topical permethrin appeared more effective than oral ivermectin (140 participants, 2 trials), topical crotamiton (194 participants, 2 trials), and topical lindane (753 participants, 5 trials). Permethrin also appeared more effective in reducing itch persistence than either crotamiton (94 participants, 1 trial) or lindane (490 participants, 2 trials). No difference was detected between permethrin (a synthetic pyrethroid) and a natural pyrethrin-based topical treatment (40 participants, 1 trial), and between permethrin and benzyl benzoate (53 participants, 1 trial). No significant difference was detected in the number of treatment failures between crotamiton and lindane (100 participants, 1 trial), lindane and sulfur (68 participants, 1 trial), benzyl benzoate and sulfur (158 participants, 1 trial), and benzyl benzoate and natural synergized pyrethrins (240 participants, 1 trial); all were topical treatments. No trials of malathion were identified. No serious adverse events were reported. A number of trials reported skin reactions in participants randomized to topical treatments. There were occasional reports of headache, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, and hypotension.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (inadequate or unclear allocation concealment - 16/22 trials, lack of blinding - 10/22 trials, more than 20% loss to follow up - 4/22 trials).

    References

    • Strong M, Johnstone PW. Interventions for treating scabies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD000320 [Review content assessed as up-to-date: 10 August 2010]. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords