Systemic treatment with glucocorticoids is associated with incident hypoglycemia and mortality: A historical prospective analysis

Steroids (glucocorticoids) are part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is responsible for the regulation of the immune system1. Steroids have been used for a wide range of medical conditions among both hospitalized and ambulatory patients since their discovery in the 1940s2. Steroids are one of the hormones affecting blood glucose levels. It is well known that steroids can induce a dose-dependent increase in both postprandial and fasting glucose among patients without diabetes mellitus, and can increase the development of hyperglycemia requiring initiation of hypoglycemic therapy3,4.