A Phase I/II Open Label Study To Evaluate the Antiviral Potential of Combination Low-Dose Therapy With Zidovudine and Interferon-Alpha 2A in Patients With Symptomatic HIV Disease

Inclusion Criteria Concurrent Medication: Allowed: Chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), as aerosolized pentamidine. Ibuprofen. Acute therapy (7 days) with oral acyclovir. Acute therapy with ketoconazole. Patients must have: A diagnosis of AIDS related complex as well as defined symptoms within 12 months of study entry in the absence of concurrent illness or conditions other than HIV infection. Estimated life expectancy of at least 12 weeks. Positive serum p24 antigen > 70 pg/ml. Patients may have received prior zidovudine (AZT) and / or interferon alpha therapy, provided that: The total duration of treatment was < 6 months. Patients treated > 12 weeks but < 6 months should have received continuous therapy (no more than 14 consecutive days or 21 total days off during the treatment period). For patients treated = or < 12 weeks, continuous treatment means < 7 days off total during the treatment period. For all patients, a washout period of = or > 4 weeks must have elapsed prior to study entry. Treatment did not result in a major adverse reaction attributable to AZT or IFN-A2a such that rechallenge at a randomly assigned dosage level would be precluded. Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following are excluded: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as defined by opportunistic infections. Significant cardiac (New York Heart Association Class 3 or 4), hepatic, renal, or neurologic disorder. Concurrent neoplasm other than basal cell carcinoma or in situ carcinoma of the cervix. Significant neurological disorder which impairs the patient's ability to give or receive informed consent or reduces the patient's performance status to the extent that protocol requirements and self-administration of drug cannot be accurately completed. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: All concomitant medications should be kept to a minimum. Chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), other than aerosolized pentamidine. Other antiretroviral agents. Experimental medications. Biologic response modifiers. Systemic corticosteroids. Cimetidine. Ranitidine. Aspirin, acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents with the exception of ibuprofen. Barbiturates. Cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmics, or vasodilators. Systemic treatment for an active infection, including pulmonary tuberculosis. Concurrent Treatment: Excluded: Systemic treatment for an active infection, including pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients with the following will be excluded from the study: AIDS as defined by opportunistic infections, Kaposi's sarcoma, or other AIDS defining neoplasms, HIV dementia complex, or HIV wasting disease. HIV constitutional disease. Any one of the following: Fever of > 38.5 degrees persisting for > 1 month. Involuntary weight loss of = or > 10 lbs or 10 percent of body weight. Diarrhea defined as = or > 2 liquid stools per day persisting for at least a total of 14 days without definable cause. Significant cardiac (New York Heart Association Class 3 or 4), hepatic, renal, or neurologic disorder. Concurrent neoplasm other than basal cell carcinoma or in situ carcinoma of the cervix. Significant neurological disorder which impairs the patient's ability to give or receive informed consent or reduces the patient's performance status to the extent that protocol requirements and self-administration of drug cannot be accurately completed. Prior AZT or IFN-A2a therapy for = or > 6 months. Previous major adverse reaction to AZT or IFN-A2a. Prior Medication: Excluded: Prior zidovudine (AZT) or interferon therapy for = or > 6 months. Excluded within 4 weeks of study entry: Any antiretroviral agent, Cytotoxic chemotherapy, or immunomodulator, including corticosteroids. Excluded within 30 days of study entry: Anti-infectives or agents likely to produce hematologic side effects (e.g., trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole). Excluded: Cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmics, or vasodilators. Active substance abuse.