A Study of Dextran Sulfate in HIV-Infected Patients and in Patients With AIDS or AIDS Related Complex (ARC)

To determine the effectiveness and safety of dextran sulfate (DS) as a treatment for patients with AIDS, AIDS related complex (ARC), or asymptomatic HIV infection with or without persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL), and to determine antiviral activity at different doses of DS. Although zidovudine (AZT) has shown promise in prolonging life in patients with AIDS and severe ARC, it has significant blood toxicities. It would be beneficial to combine AZT with another antiviral agent that does not have the same toxicity. DS might be a suitable drug since it has shown antiviral activity against HIV in the laboratory, and in preliminary studies it has shown little toxicity. Also, the combination of DS with AZT has been shown to be more effective than either alone.