Funded by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
B
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Biochemical response: A decline in serum ALT to within the normal range on treatment
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Body Mass Index (BMI): The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common method used to assess a person's body fat. The BMI chart shows four ranges of weight: underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese. Measurement of BMI may not be accurate in all persons, particuarly persons with large muscle mass (such as athletes), persons who have lean muscle mass (such as seniors), or persons shorter than 5 feet tall.
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Bridging fibrosis: An indicator of advanced disease characterized by fibrosis that extends to form bridges between portal-vascular structures. It is an important predictor of progression to cirrhosis. When bridging fibrosis is seen diffusely in a liver specimen, it is classified as cirrhosis.