J Korean Med Sci.  2011 Feb;26(2):264-267. 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.2.264.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Steroid-induced Diabetes in Patients with Respiratory Disease

• Kim SY
• Yoo CG
• Lee CT
• Chung HS
• Kim YW
• Han SK
• Shim YS
• Yim JJ

• KMID: 1782116
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.2.264

Abstract

Glucocorticoids are effective for treating several respiratory diseases. However, they can cause hyperglycemia. This study determined the incidence and risk factors of steroidinduced diabetes mellitus (S-DM) in patients treated with glucocorticoid for respiratory diseases. A retrospective study examined patients with respiratory diseases treated with a prednisolone-equivalent glucocorticoid dose exceeding 20 mg/day for at least 4 weeks between January 2003 and December 2008. Patients whose initial random glucose level exceeded 200 mg/dL or who had pre-existing diabetes were excluded. S-DM was defined as a fasting glucose concentration exceeding 126 mg/dL or a random glucose concentration exceeding 200 mg/dL at least twice after beginning steroid treatment. A total of 231 patients with respiratory diseases met the inclusion criteria. Their median age was 55 yr, and 139 were female. The median cumulative prednisolone-equivalent glucocorticoid dose was 4,965 mg, and the median duration of steroid treatment was 193 days. S-DM was diagnosed in 34 (14.7%) of 231 patients. Multivariate logistic regression identified older age (odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.09) as a risk factor for S-DM. S-DM is frequent among patients with respiratory diseases treated with glucocorticoid. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of S-DM, especially among elderly patients.

Keyword

Diabetes; Glucocorticoids; Hyperglycemia; Respiration Disorders; Steroids

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Blood Glucose/metabolism
Diabetes Mellitus/*chemically induced/*epidemiology
Female
Glucocorticoids/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use
Humans
Logistic Models
Lung Diseases/complications/*drug therapy
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Young Adult

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