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AIDS Glossary
- d.t.d.no.
- pharmaceutical abbreviation, give doses (dentur talis doses numus )
- dapsone
- an antibiotic drug used in the treatment and prophylaxis of PCP. Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, skin rash, photosensitivity and anemia.
- data (singular datum)
- factual information, especially results of an experiment or clinical trial.
- data safety and monitoring board (dsmb)
- a group of experts that evaluates clinical trials for safety and ethics. DSMB typically examine interim data as a trial progresses and determines whether it should be stopped or allowed to continue.
- daunorubicin
- a chemotherapeutic drug used to treat Kaposi's sarcoma and other cancers.
- daunoxome
- a liposomal (fat bubble) formulation of daunorubicin that allows more precise targeting of the drug with fewer side effects.
- ddc (zalcitabine, dideoxycytidine, hivid)
- a nucleoside analog drug that inhibits HIV replication by interfering with the reverse transcriptase enzyme. The drug is FDA-approved for the treatment of HIV disease; current practice favors use in combinations. Adverse side effects may include nausea, peripheral neuropathy, oral ulcers and pancreatitis.
- ddi (didanosine, dideoxyinosine, videx)
- a nucleoside analog drug that inhibits HIV replication. The drug is FDA-approved for the treatment of HIV disease; current practice favors use in combinations. Side effects may include diarrhea, pancreatitis and peripheral neuropathy.
- deferred therapy
- therapy given later in the course of disease, often after symptoms have appeared. In a clinical trial, one arm may be given deferred treatment and compared to an arm that received treatment from the outset.
- definitive
- conclusive, unquestionable. A definitive diagnosis is made by detection of an organism (e.g., virus, bacteria) via culture, biopsy or other procedure.
- degenerative
- relating to a progressive deterioration of a tissue or organ leading to structural or functional impairment.
- dehydration
- loss or lack of water in the body. Dehydration may result from prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, and may interfere with or disrupt many bodily processes.
- dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea)
- a weak androgenic steroid produced by the adrenal cortex. DHEA levels are often decreased in people with HIV disease.
- delavirdine (rescriptor)
- a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug.
- delayed-type hypersensitivity (dth, type iv sensit
- a cell-mediated immune response that peaks 24-72 hours after restimulation with an antigen to which the body has previously been exposed. In an antigen skin test, a local DTH reaction characterized by redness and induration (hardness and swelling) may be seen.
- delirium
- a state of mental confusion, typically acute and rapid in onset; that may be caused by factors including disease, drug use and high fever.
- delta study
- a large European clinical trial, with sites in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia, that compared anti-HIV regimens and determined that combination therapy produced the best results.
- delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (thc)
- the active ingredient in marijuana. THC has psychoactive properties, may induce euphoria and drowsiness, and may improve appetite and reduce nausea due to chemotherapy.
- dementia
- deterioration of intellectual faculties, often accompanied by emotional disturbance. HIV is active in the brain (central nervous system) and can cause dementia, even in those with high CD4 counts and low viral loads. Treatment usually involves an anti-HIV drug -- such as AZT -- that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. (also called ADC)
- demodex folliculorum
- mites that inhabit the skin and are usually found in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Although the mites are present and do not cause symptoms in most people, they may cause clusters of tiny bumps in immunosuppressed people. Kwell lotion is used as a treatment.
- demographics
- the characteristics of a population (e.g., sex, race, age, geographic location).
- demyelinating neuropathy
- a type of nerve damage that involves demyelination, the loss of the lipid myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells.
- demyelination
- destruction or loss of the myelin (a fatty substance) sheath that surrounds and insulates the axons of nerve cells and is necessary for the proper conduction of neural impulses.
- dendritic cell
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- a type of immune system cell with many branches. Dendritic cells are found in the skin and mucosal membranes. They are typically the first to arrive at sites of injury or infection, where they bind to invaders and transport them to the lymph nodes where the cell-mediated immune response is initiated. Dendritic cells carry the CD4 surface marker, and may be among the first cells to be infected by HIV.
- dental dam (latex dam)
- a flat latex square, traditionally used for dental surgery, that can be used to protect against the transmission of HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases. A dental dams (or a substitute such as plastic wrap) is placed between the mouth of one partner and the genitals or anus of another, thus preventing the exchange of fluids during oral sexual contact.
- deoxyribonucleic acid (dna)
- a molecule found in the nucleus of cells as a twisted double-stranded chain that encodes genetic information. The particular sequence of 4 chemical building blocks (nucleotides) -- adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine -- that make up a DNA chain determines the unique genetic code of an individual. See also ribonucleic acid.
- department of health and human services (dhhs)
- the U.S. federal government division that includes the Public Health Service.
- dependence
- a state in which a person is reliant on a drug. Physical dependence is characterized by the onset of physical symptoms of withdrawal (e.g., sweating, tremors) if a drug is abruptly stopped. Psychological dependence (addiction) is a psychological syndrome characterized by drug craving, compulsive use and relapse after abstinence.
- depo-provera
- a form of progesterone injected intramuscularly for contraception.
- depot form
- a method of drug administration in which a drug is injected into a muscle or beneath the skin and slowly absorbed over a period of time, resulting in sustained action.
- dermal
- relating to the skin.
- dermatitis
- inflammation of the skin.
- dermatology
- the medical specialty concerned with diseases and disorders of the skin.
- dermatophytosis
- an infections caused by dermatophytes, a type of fungal organism. tinea pedis (athlete's foot) and tinea cruris (jock itch) are forms of dermatophytosis.
- desensitization
- the reduction of sensitivity or allergic reaction to an antigen or a drug, typically achieved by administering a small amount and gradually increasing the dose.
- dexamethasone
- a steroid with anti-inflammatory properties.
- dhea
- see dehydroepiandrosterone.
- dhhs
- See Department of Health and Human Services.
- dhpg
- see ganciclovir.
- diabetes
- a disease characterized by excessive urination. Diabetes mellitus is caused by insufficient insulin production or lack of responsiveness to insulin, resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels). There are 2 primary types of diabetes mellitus, type I (insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset), which may be caused by an autoimmune response, and type II (non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset). Diabetes insipidus is typically due to hormonal dysregulation.
- diagnosis
- the determination of the existence of a disease or condition. Diagnosis generally involves the evaluation of a patient's medical history, clinical symptoms and laboratory test results.
- dialysis
- a procedure for cleansing the blood using membranes to filter out waste elements. Kidney dialysis is used to substitute for the function of damaged or absent kidneys.
- diaphragm
- a flexible sheet. The diaphragm in the chest is a sheet of muscle that controls breathing. Also refers to a flexible latex disk placed over the uterine cervix as a contraceptive device to form a barrier to sperm.
- diarrhea
- frequent, loose bowel movements. Diarrhea may be caused by a variety of factors including bacteria (e.g., Mycobacterium avium, Salmonella), viruses (e.g., CMV), parasites (e.g., Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia) and drug use. Persistent diarrhea is common in persons with HIV disease and may lead to wasting due to inadequate nutrient absorption.
- didanosine
- see ddI.
- dideoxycytidine
- see ddC.
- dideoxyinosine
- see ddI.
- diethylhomospermine (dehspm)
- an experimental, non-opiate, anti-diarrhea drug that delays intestinal transit and enhances fluid absorption.
- dietitian
- a person specializing in dietetics, the study of nutrition and the use of special diets for prophylaxis and treatment of disease.
- differential diagnosis
- a method of diagnosis that involves determining from a list of possible diseases which is the probable cause of a patient's symptoms, often by a process of elimination.
- diffuse
- spread out; not concentrated.
- diflucan
- brand name of fluconazole.
- directly observed therapy (dot)
- a method of medication administration in which a health care provider or other observer watches the patient take each drug dose. DOT is most commonly used for tuberculosis treatment.
- discordant
- not having the same serostatus, for example a couple in which one partner is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative.
- disseminate
- to spread. A disseminated infection is one that is distributed throughout the body, possibly causing symptoms at multiple sites.
- distal
- farthest from the center or from a central point of reference.
- distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (dspn)
- a common type of peripheral neuropathy in people with HIV disease characterized by pain, burning or tingling sensations, weakness and/or numbness, especially in the hands and feet.
- disulfiram (antabuse)
- a drug used in the treatment of alcoholism. Alcohol consumption causes nausea in people taking disulfiram. The drug is similar to DTC (Imuthiol), an experimental AIDS treatment.
- diuretic
- an agent that increases the amount of urine excreted.
- diurnal
- twice a day.
- dna
- see deoxyribonucleic acid.
- dncb
- dinitrochlorobenzene, a solvent chemical. Some believe that the use of DNCB on the skin provokes a generalized immune system response.
- dosage (dose)
- the amount of a substance (e.g., a drug) that is given at one time.
- dosage regimen
- a formalized schedule by which drugs are administered, including the amount of drug, the number of doses per time period and the time between doses.
- dose
- a specified quantity of a drug, prescribed to be taken at a specified interval.
- dose escalation
- the gradual increase of drug dosages to determine the amount that delivers the best balance of high efficacy and few side effects. Dose-escalation trials are clinical studies that monitor the effects of increasing dosages of a drug.
- dose escalation trial
- a clinical trial involving volunteers who take escalating amounts of a drug. Researchers are looking for the largest quantity of the substance that can be tolerated without an adverse reaction.
- dose ranging trial
- a clinical trial involving groups of volunteers given different quantities of a substance (or the same quantity but at different intervals). Results of the groups are compared to find which quantities and intervals give the best results and produce the fewest adverse reactions.
- dose-ranging
- a clinical trial in which different doses of a drug are compared to determine which dosage has the best balance of high efficacy and low toxicity.
- dose-response relationship
- a phenomenon by which increased doses of a drug lead to increased effects, such that the response to a drug is directly related to the dose administered.
- dot
- pharmaceutical abbreviation, direct observational therapy
- double-blind
- a type of clinical trial in which neither the subject nor the investigator knows what treatment, if any, the subject is receiving. At the end of the trial the "code" is broken and data are analyzed. Double-blinding is done to minimize bias due to the expectations of the subject, investigator(s) and/or healthcare provider(s).
- double-blind trial
- a clinical trial involving volunteers who take an experimental drug or a control substance. The control substance is usually a drug already approved for use in the disease, but sometimes it's a placebo. In a double-blind trial, a lab prepares the experimental and control substances and labels them so that neither the researchers nor patients know which individuals are getting the experimental drug. Only after the trial is finished do the researchers and patients learn which patients were taking the experimental drug. In HIV-related trials, the placebo is commonly replaced with some approved anti-HIV treatment. (also see clinical trial, and open label trial.)
- downregulation
- reduction of the rate at which a process occurs, a substance is released, etc.
- doxorubicin (adriamycin)
- an anti-cancer drug used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma and other malignancies. Side effects include mouth sores and bone marrow suppression.
- dox-sl (doxil)
- a formulation of doxorubicin encapsulated in liposomes (fat bubbles).
- dronabinol (marinol)
- a synthetic version of THC, the active agent in marijuana. Dronabinol is used to reduce nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and as an appetite stimulant in people with wasting syndrome. Side effects may include drowsiness, confusion and coordination difficulties.
- droplet nuclei
- airborne particles that transmit infection (e.g., tuberculosis).
- drug interaction
- a change in the way one drug acts when it is taken with some other drug or substance. Also called drug interaction.
- dsm iv
- the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a compendium of psychiatric and mental disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.
- dsmb
- see Data and Safety Monitoring Board.
- duodenum (adjective duodenal)
- the first part of the small intestine where it meets the stomach.
- dys- (prefix)
- abnormal; often used to mean difficult or painful.
- dysmenorrhea
- difficult or painful menstruation (e.g., cramps).
- dyspareunia
- painful sexual intercourse.
- dysphagia
- difficult or painful swallowing.
- dysplasia
- abnormal tissue or cell growth
- dyspnea
- difficult, labored breathing; shortness of breath.
- dysregulation
- interruption of or interference with normal processes.
- dysthymia
- a chronic mood disorder characterized by depression.
- dystrophy
- progressive tissue changes. Several dystrophic diseases (e.g., muscular dystrophy) are characterized by muscle wasting and dysfunction.
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