Page 130 - 78 glossary of hivaids-related terms_opt

by requiring additional drugs to target the newly introduced
HIV strain.

Surrogate Endpoint
A short-term outcome, such as a change in viral load or CD4 count
that may be used as a substitute to reflect a clinical target outcome,
such as mortality or disease progression. For example, a change
in viral load (HIV RNA level) may be a surrogate endpoint for the
progression of HIV to AIDS as a clinical endpoint.
See Also: Clinical Endpoint

Surrogate Marker
See: Surrogate Endpoint

Susceptible
Having little resistance to a specific infectious disease. Also
used to describe an HIV strain that is not resistant to a particular
anti-HIV drug.

Sustained Viral Suppression
See: Sustained Virologic Response

Sustained Virologic Response
The continued, long-term suppression of HIV RNA as a
result of successful treatment with highly active antiretroviral
therapy regimens.

S
Syncytium
A giant cell formed by the fusing together of two or more smaller
cells. HIV-infected cells can fuse with uninfected cells to form
syncytia. The presence of so-called syncytia-inducing variants of
HIV has been correlated with rapid disease progression in HIV-
infected individuals.

Syndrome
A set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest a
certain disease or an increased chance of developing a disease.

128 HIV/AIDS Glossary