Glossary

Of or relating to children.

To do with relieving rather than curing symptoms.

A glandular organ situated behind the stomach that secretes insulin and pancreatic digestive enzymes.

A condition of the pancreas causing severe abdominal pain, shock and collapse, which can be fatal.

Low numbers of all blood cells.

A specimen of cells from the cervix, usually obtained in scrapings from the opening, which may be examined by microscope to look for abnormalities.

Abnormal sensations of touch on the skin.

Any micro-organism which can cause disease. There are four main types: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses.

The origin and step-by-step development of disease.

Abbreviation of a Latin term meaning after food.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, a form of pneumonia, which is an AIDS defining illness.

Polymerase chain reaction, a method of amplifying fragments of genetic material so that they can be detected. Some viral load tests use this method.

Around the anus.

Around the time of birth.

Damage to the nerves of the hands and/or feet, causing symptoms ranging from numbness to excruciating pain.

In a study “100 person years of follow-up” could mean that information was collected on 100 people for one year, or on 50 people for two years each, or on ten people over ten years. In practice, each person’s duration of follow-up is likely to be different.

The study of how a drug is absorbed and distributed throughout the body.

The earliest stage of a clinical trial in humans, designed to see if a drug, or vaccine is safe and what the maximum safe dose is.

Stage of a clinical trial to see what the most effective dose of a drug is.

Stage of a clinical trial to see if a drug is effective in the short-term.

Stage of a clinical trial when the experimental drug is given to large

numbers of people, at the dose determined in phase I or phase II. Often the trial drug is compared with a treatment already in use or with an inactive placebo.

Trait or behaviour which results from a particular genotype.

Phosphorus combined with oxygen in the blood forms a variety of phosphates, vital for energy production, muscle and nerve function, and bone growth. Raised levels can be a sign of conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes.

Process by which the NRTI drugs are converted within human cells into forms that inhibit HIV.

See protease inhibitor.

Small-scale, preliminary study.

A pill or liquid which looks and tastes exactly like a real drug, but contains no active substance.

A commonly observed phenomenon, in which patients given a placebo have better clinical results than patients given no treatment at all (even though there is no active drug in a placebo). This may be because patients expect to get better.

The fluid portion of the blood.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a serious brain infection.

Amyl, butyl or isobutyl nitrite, are recreational drugs sniffed during sex to both intensify the experience and relax anal sphincter muscles.

When using a diagnostic test, the percentage of those testing positive who are correctly diagnosed. This will vary according the prevalence in the local population.

A study has adequate statistical power if it can reliably detect a clinically important difference (i.e. between two treatments) if a difference actually exists. If a study is under-powered, there are not enough people taking part and the study may not tell us whether one treatment is better than the other. 

Of in vitro research or research involving animals, undertaken prior to research in humans.

The proportion of people who currently have an infection or a condition. This will include people who acquired the infection or condition several years ago and still have it. See also ‘incidence’. 

A single endpoint in an RCT which most accurately reflects the beneficial effects of treatment.

In HIV, usually defined as the first six months of infection. 

A drug that is broken down into another active form inside the body.

Likely outcome, such as the risk of disease progression.

Multiplication (e.g. of immune system cells) to control an infection.

Medication where the active ingredient is released at a controlled rate over a period of time, usually up to 24 hours.

Taking a drug to prevent an illness. Primary prophylaxis is the use of drugs to prevent a first occurrence of illness. Secondary prophylaxis is the use of drugs to prevent re-occurrence of illness.

A type of longitudinal study in which people join the study and information is then collected on them for several weeks, months or years. See also ‘retrospective study’. ). 

An enzyme that HIV uses to break up large proteins into smaller ones from which new HIV particles can be made.

Family of antiretrovirals which target the protease enzyme. Includes amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir, and atazanavir.

A substance which forms the structure of most cells and enzymes.

A detailed research plan that describes the aims and objectives of a clinical trial and how it will be conducted.

A group of single-celled animals, a few of which cause human disease.

The chemical form in which HIV's genetic information is stored within infected cells.

A disease in which the skin develops raised, rough, reddened areas.

A branch of medicine that treats people, using drugs and other physical methods, to change the way they act and feel.

A branch of medicine that tries to explain why people act, think and feel the way they do.

Mental health problems that stop someone from thinking clearly and telling the difference between reality and their imagination.

Affecting the lungs.

The result of a statistical test which tells us whether the results of a study are likely to be due to chance and would not be confirmed if the study was repeated. All p-values are between 0 and 1; the most reliable studies have p-values very close to 0. A p-value of 0.001 means that there is a 1 in 1000 probability that the results are due to chance and do not reflect a real difference. A p-value of 0.05 means there is a 1 in 20 probability that the results are due to chance. When a p-value is 0.05 or below, the result is considered to be ‘statistically significant’. Confidence intervals give similar information to p-values but are easier to interpret. See ‘confidence interval’.