Decreased counts of blood neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children and young adults treated with diethyldithiocarbamate.

Nineteen young human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients were randomized to receive 400 mg of oral diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) per m2 or placebo weekly for 12 weeks. Changes in blood CD4+ lymphocytes were not significantly different between groups. However, neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet counts consistently decreased during DTC treatment, suggesting DTC-mediated myelosuppression.