Glossary Please select an letter from the A-Z list or search # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z decompensated cirrhosis The later stage of cirrhosis, during which the liver cannot perform some vital functions and complications occur. See also ‘cirrhosis’ and ‘compensated cirrhosis’. delayed virological response (DVR) After starting treatment, hepatitis C RNA viral load was detectable at week 12 but was undetectable by week 24. depression A mental health problem causing long-lasting low mood that interferes with everyday life. dermatitis Inflammation of the skin. diabetes A condition characterised by raised concentration of sugar in the blood and urine, due to problems with the production or action of insulin. diagnosis Description of the causes of a patient's medical problems. diarrhoea Abnormal bowel movements, characterised by watery or frequent stools. direct-acting antiviral (DAA) A drug which prevents hepatitis C from reproducing by blocking certain steps in its lifecycle. disease progression The worsening of a disease. DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid, the material in the nucleus of a cell where genetic information is stored. In hepatitis B, DNA (viral load) testing is used to help predict treatment outcome and to monitor response to treatment. dose Measured amount of a drug to be taken at one time. dose-ranging trial A clinical trial where two or more doses of a drug are compared to see which works best and is least harmful. double-blind A clinical trial where neither the researchers nor participants know which assigned treatment an individual participant in the trial is taking until after the end of the trial. This reduces the risk of biased results. See also ‘single-blind’. drug interaction When a person is taking more than one drug, and drug A interferes with the functioning of drug B. Blood levels of the drug may be lowered or raised, potentially interfering with effectiveness or making side-effects worse. dysplasia Abnormal growth of cells.