Glossary

ascites – an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, a sign of serious liver damage in people with hepatitis C.

type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) – an illness that usually affect adults (previously called adult-onset diabetes), when glucose levels increase because the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond well to insulin.

lactate – waste product produced when sugar is turned into energy by the body.

biopsy – taking a small sample of body tissue for examination and testing in the laboratory.

SVR (sustained virological response) – having a negative HCV viral load test 6 months after stopping HCV treatment. The response, 6 months after treatment is stopped, determines whether treatment has been effective in terms of clearing HCV. SVR is the most important result from an HCV treatment trial. See ETR.