Steroid-induced hyperglycaemia in hospitalised patients: does it matter?

Diabetologia. 2016 Dec;59(12):2507-2509. doi: 10.1007/s00125-016-4116-z. Epub 2016 Sep 27.

Abstract

Steroid-induced hyperglycaemia is a common problem faced by endocrinologists in hospital wards. In this issue of Diabetologia, Popovic and colleagues (DOI 10.1007/s00125-016-4091-4 ) have conducted a subanalysis within a randomised controlled trial of prednisone therapy for community-acquired pneumonia. The authors found that the presence of diabetes or hyperglycaemia related to steroid therapy did not attenuate the clinical benefits of steroid therapy. The relevance and possible implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords: Blood glucose; Diabetes; Glucocorticoid; Hospitalised patient; Hyperglycaemia; Pneumonia; Prednisone; Steroid; Steroid-induced hyperglycaemia.

Publication types

  • Editorial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Community-Acquired Infections / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus / blood
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects*
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use*
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / blood*
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology*
  • Pneumonia / drug therapy
  • Prednisone / adverse effects
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Prednisone