Dextran Sulfate: Monitoring and Safety

Anyone using dextran sulfate should be monitored by a physician. While the drug has been used in Japan for 20 years and is available there without a prescription, the doses being tried for AIDS and ARC--usually 1800 to 3600 mg per day--are larger then the 900 per day commonly used in Japan.
No one has been harmed by dextran sulfate so far as we know. But there have been minor side effects, and changes in blood tests which might lead to serious problems if not caught early. Until more is known, it makes sense to err on the side of safety.
What we have heard as effects to watch for are:
* High transaminase levels, which could indicate liver toxicity. Most physicians are only seeing these at higher
doses, and are not worried by small changes.
* Serious drops in white blood count, or in platelets. We have only heard of this problem in one or two patients. These changes may not have been due to dextran sulfate; but just in case, these values should be monitored.
* Some patients report a bloated feeling, or diarrhea, especially when starting the treatment.
* We have heard one report of a nosebleed. However, the San Francisco General trial has not found any coagulation
problems.
* Especially at very large doses, some patients in the San Francisco test reported feeling "speedy".
The Japanese PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) lists other precautions. These are translated in AIDS Treatment News #50.
For more information on dextran sulfate, including availability, call Project Inform, 800-822-7422 (U.S. except
California), 800-334-7422 (California only), or 415-558-9051 from anywhere.

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