Sulfur 7% Cream Compared With Permethrin 5% Cream for Treating Scabies in Adults

NCT07822672 | Completed Phase 4

• 1 other identifier: 26.041.HV/PCT-HDDD-DC
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study compares two creams used to treat scabies, a common skin condition caused by mites that causes intense itching. Ninety adults with scabies were randomly assigned to receive either sulfur 7% cream or permethrin 5% cream. Sulfur cream was applied once each evening for three nights in a row; permethrin cream was applied once, left on overnight, and repeated after one week. Participants were examined after two weeks and again after four weeks to see whether the scabies had cleared. The study also looked at how quickly itching improved, how much sleep improved, how satisfied participants were with each treatment, how many side effects occurred, and how much each treatment cost. The goal is to help doctors and patients choose between these two widely available, inexpensive treatments based on real-world evidence of how well each one works and how well it is tolerated.

Conditions

Scabies

Keywords

Scabies; sulfur; pruritus; sleep; treatment satisfaction; permethrin; randomized controlled trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Complete cure rate at week 2

  Proportion of participants achieving complete cure using the same definition as above, assessed at the earlier time point.

  Week 2 after treatment initiation

• Complete cure rate at week 4

  Proportion of participants achieving complete cure, defined per the 2017 European guideline as resolution of pruritus with no active lesions and no new lesions on clinical examination.

  Week 4 after treatment initiation

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Change in pruritus severity

  Baseline, week 2, week 4

• Change in insomnia symptoms (Athens Insomnia Scale)

  Baseline, week 2

• Insomnia prevalence

  Baseline, week 2

• Treatment satisfaction

  Week 4

• Incidence of treatment-related adverse events

  Through week 4

Study Arms (2)

Arm 1 (Sulfur 7%)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Intervention Type: Drug Intervention Name: Sulfur 7% cream Description: Applied from neck to soles once each evening, left on for 8-14 hours then washed off, for 3 consecutive days. Arm/Group Label: Sulfur 7%

Drug: Sulfur 7% cream

Arm 2 (Permethrin 5%)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Intervention Type: Drug Intervention Name: Permethrin 5% cream Description: Applied from neck to soles as a single overnight application (8-14 hours), repeated once after 7 days. Arm/Group Label: Permethrin 5%

Drug: Permethrin 5% cream

Interventions

Sulfur 7% cream DRUG

Applied from neck to soles once each evening, left on for 8-14 hours then washed off, for 3 consecutive days.

Arm 1 (Sulfur 7%)

Permethrin 5% cream DRUG

Applied from neck to soles as a single overnight application (8-14 hours), repeated once after 7 days.

Arm 2 (Permethrin 5%)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years or older
• Clinical diagnosis of ordinary (non-crusted) scabies, established using the 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) consensus criteria, category B:
• B1: burrow identified, or
• B2: typical lesions at male genitalia, or
• B3: typical lesions at typical sites plus pruritus and a history of close contact with a person with scabies or itch

You may not qualify if:

• Known allergy or intolerance to sulfur or permethrin
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Hearing, visual, or cognitive impairment preventing reliable self-reporting of symptoms
• Self-discontinuation of study treatment before completion

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy: lead

Study Sites (1)

Can Tho Dermatology Hospital

Can Tho, Can Tho City, 900000, Vietnam

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Scabies; Pruritus

Interventions

Sulfur; Permethrin

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mite Infestations; Ectoparasitic Infestations; Skin Diseases, Parasitic; Parasitic Diseases; Infections; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chalcogens; Elements; Inorganic Chemicals; Phenyl Ethers; Ethers; Organic Chemicals; Phenols; Benzene Derivatives; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Hydrocarbons, Cyclic; Hydrocarbons; Pyrethrins; Cyclopentane Monoterpenes; Monoterpenes; Terpenes

Study Officials

• Tran Gia Hung, PhD

  Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 4
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer, Department of Dermato-Venereology, Faculty of Medicine

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 6, 2026
• First Posted: September 16, 2026
• Study Start: June 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion: June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

VN (1)