Glossary

range – the highest and lowest results in a group. Range is used together with median (average). See IQR (interquartile range).

DNA – an abbreviation for the scientific word for genes and genetic material. It is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. See RNA.

salvage therapy – a term for the combination therapy used after someone has developed resistance to three or more classes of HIV drugs. Also called ‘third-line’ or ‘rescue therapy’ or ‘treatment of patients with multidrug resistance’.

bDNA – branched DNA. A type of viral load test.

DEXA – a non-invasive scan that can measure the percentage of different body areas (whole body, trunk, right leg etc) that are muscle or fat. DEXA scans cannot determine if this is central fat (visceral adipose tissue, VAT) or sub-cutaneous fat (under the skin).

DEXA scan also can measure bone density and is used to monitor risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.