International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences, 2014, 3, 2, 15-21.
Published: June 2014
Type: Research Article
Authors: Maurya Meenakshi, Kaushik Sadhna, Srivastava Neeraj, Verma Deepak, and Parihar Renu
Author(s) affiliations:
Maurya Meenakshi1, Kaushik Sadhna2, Srivastava Neeraj3, Verma Deepak4, Parihar Renu5
1Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Agra, India.
2Professor and HOD, Department of Pharmacology, 3Assistant Professor and HOD, Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases,
4Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, 5Junior Resident, Department of Pharmacology, Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Abstract
Background: To determine efficacy and cost effectiveness of antiscabietic drugs (permethrin, gamma benzene hexachloride, and ivermectin) in patients of uncomplicated scabies. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, randomized clinical study conducted in 210 diagnosed patients of scabies (>12 years of age) from January 2011 to October 2011. They were randomly allocated into one of the three groups. Group A received topical permethrin (5% cream), Group B received topical gamma benzene hexachloride (1% lotion), and Group C received oral ivermectin (tab 200mcg/kg). All the three groups received treatment two times: at the time of the first visit and one week later. The patients were followed up at the end of the first and third week. At each visit, cure rate was assessed by clinical and itching grading score and compared to determine the efficacy. Cost effectiveness was compared on the basis of cost in INR to treat one case successfully. Results: Cure rate at the end of the first week was 83.87% in Group A, 78.18% in Group B, and 55.17% in Group C while cure rate in the three treatment groups at the end of the third week was 93.55% in Group A, 80.00% in Group B, and 98.28% in Group C. Thus, at the end of the first week, Group A showed better cure rate while at the end of the third week, Group C was equally efficacious to Group A. The cost (INR) to treat one patient was 69.19 for permethrin, 37.50 for gamma benzene hexachloride, and 24.42 for ivermectin. Conclusion: A single application of permethrin is superior to both ivermectin and gamma benzene hexachloride while ivermectin in a two-dose regimen is equally efficacious to permethrin and more cost-effective than the other two conventional antiscabietic drugs. Oral ivermectin can be used as an alternative to permethrin.