title: Efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-mefloquine on acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-mefloquine on acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four patients with symptomatic falciparum malaria were allocated to receive oral dihydroartemisinin at a single dose of 120 mg on day 1, followed by mefioquine, 750 mg and 500 mg on days 2 and 3, respectively. Follow-up was performed on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had a rapid initial response to treatment. The parasite clearance time (PCT) after treatment was 30.7 +/- 3.6 hours. The fever subsidence time (FST) after treatment was 21.2 +/- 2.8 hours. Two patients had a recrudescence 21 and 25 days respectively after the disappearance of parasitemia, hence the recrudescence rate was 3.7% and the cure rate was 96.3%. No serious adverse effects were observed, only mild and transient nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination of dihydroartemisinin and mefloquine is effective in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Dongguan People's Hospital, Dongguan, Guandong 523000, China. Pwangwen@pub.dgnet.gd.cn
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Micha
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C039060:artenimol; D015767:Mefloquine