Table 3

Cure rates stratified according to infestation intensity (assessed by 3 minutes of visual inspection before treatment)


Dimeticone group
Permethrin group
P value
Effect size

Cured/total
% (95% CI)
Cured/total
% (95% CI)

RR (95% CI)

Low or moderate infestationa






     Day 2
37/38
97.4% (86.2% – 99.9%)
23/31
74.2% (55.4% – 88,1%)
P = 0.004
1.31 (1.06–1.63)
     Day 7
32/38
84.2% (68.7% – 94.0%)
23/31
74.2% (55.4% – 88,1%)
P = 0.3
1.14 (0.88–1.46)
     Day 9
36/37
97.3% (85.5% – 99.9%)
25/31
80.6% (62.5% – 92.5%)
P = 0.02
1.21 (1.01–1.45)
Heavy infestationb






     Day 2
32/35
91.4% (76.9% – 98.2%)
25/41
61.0% (44.5% – 75.8%)
P = 0.002
1.50 (1.15–1.95)
     Day 7
15/35
42.9% (26.3% – 60.4%)
20/41
48.8% (32.9% – 64.9%)
P = 0.6
0.88 (0.54–1.44)
     Day 9
34/35
97.1% (85.1% – 99.9%)
23/40
57,5% (40.9% – 73.0%)
P < 0.0001
1.69 (1.29–2.22)

a < 5 active head lice at the beginning of the study; see material and methods

b ≥ 5 active head lice

Heukelbach et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2008 8:115   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-115