Glucocorticoid effect on insulin sensitivity: a time frame

Mixed insulin can improve control of prednisolone-induced hyperglycaemia

BACKGROUND

Hyperglycaemia is a common side effect of prednisolone, although there are no widely accepted guidelines for the management of glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycaemia (GIH). Our institution uses mixed insulin in a pre-breakfast or pre-breakfast and pre-lunch regimen, with the rationale that this profile of insulin action matches the physiological effect of prednisolone on blood glucose levels (BGLs).

AIM

Evaluate the use of the mixed insulin (NovoMix30) in a pre-breakfast or pre-breakfast and pre-lunch regimen as management for GIH in a tertiary hospital setting.

METHOD

We retrospectively evaluated all inpatients coprescribed prednisolone ≥7.5 mg and NovoMix30 for at least 48 hours over a 19-month period. BGLs were evaluated with repeated-measures analysis within four time periods across the day, beginning from the day prior to NovoMix30 administration.

RESULTS

A total of 53 patients were identified. NovoMix30 significantly reduced BGLs in the morning (mean 12.7 ± 4.5 vs. 9.2 ± 3.9 mmol/L, P < 0.001), afternoon (mean 13.6 ± 3.8 vs. 11.9 ± 3.8 mmol/L, P = 0.001) and evening (12.1 ± 3.8 vs. 10.8 ± 3.8 mmol/L, P = 0.01). With uptitration of insulin over 3 days, 43% of all BGLs were within the target range, compared with 23% on day 0 (P < 0.001). The final median dose of NovoMix30 was 0.15 (0.10-0.22) units/kg bodyweight, or 0.40 (0.23-0.69) units/mg of prednisolone, which is lower than our hospital guideline recommends. One overnight hypoglycaemic event was observed.

CONCLUSION

Mixed insulin as a pre-breakfast or pre-breakfast and pre-lunch regimen can target the hyperglycaemic pattern induced by prednisolone and minimise overnight hypoglycaemia. However, higher doses of insulin than those used in our study are likely required for optimal BGL control.

UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations for Mountaineers, Hillwalkers, Trekkers, and Rock and Ice Climbers with Diabetes

Hillebrandt, David, Anil Gurtoo, Thomas Kupper, Paul Richards, Volker Schöffl, Pankaj Shah, Rianne van der Spek, Nikki Wallis, and Jim Milledge. UIAA Medical Commission recommendations for mountaineers, hillwalkers, trekkers, and rock and ice climbers with diabetes. High Alt Med Biol. 24: 110-126.-The object of this advice article is not only to give the diabetic mountaineer general guidance but also to inform his or her medical team of practical aspects of care that may not be standard for nonmountaineers. The guidelines are produced in seven sections. The first is an introduction to the guidelines, and the second is an introduction to this medical problem and is designed to be read and understood by diabetic patients and their companions. The third section is for use in an emergency in mountains. The fourth is for rock, ice, and competition climbers operating in a less remote environment. These initial sections are deliberately written in simple language. The fifth and sixth sections are written for clinicians and those with skills to read more technical information, and the seventh looks at modern technology and its pros and cons in diabetes management in a remote area. Sections One and Two could be laminated and carried when in the mountains, giving practical advice.

Glucocorticoid activation of anti-inflammatory macrophages protects against insulin resistance

Insulin resistance (IR) during obesity is linked to adipose tissue macrophage (ATM)-driven inflammation of adipose tissue. Whether anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids (GCs) at physiological levels modulate IR is unclear. Here, we report that deletion of the GC receptor (GR) in myeloid cells, including macrophages in mice, aggravates obesity-related IR by enhancing adipose tissue inflammation due to decreased anti-inflammatory ATM leading to exaggerated adipose tissue lipolysis and severe hepatic steatosis. In contrast, GR deletion in Kupffer cells alone does not alter IR. Co-culture experiments show that the absence of GR in macrophages directly causes reduced phospho-AKT and glucose uptake in adipocytes, suggesting an important function of GR in ATM. GR-deficient macrophages are refractory to alternative ATM-inducing IL-4 signaling, due to reduced STAT6 chromatin loading and diminished anti-inflammatory enhancer activation. We demonstrate that GR has an important function in macrophages during obesity by limiting adipose tissue inflammation and lipolysis to promote insulin sensitivity.

Use of systemic glucocorticoids and risk of breast cancer in a prospective cohort of postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

Glucocorticoids could theoretically decrease breast cancer risk through their anti-inflammatory effects or increase risk through immunosuppression. However, epidemiological evidence is limited regarding the associations between glucocorticoid use and breast cancer risk.

METHODS

We investigated the association between systemic glucocorticoid use and breast cancer incidence in the E3N cohort, which includes 98,995 women with information on various characteristics collected from repeated questionnaires complemented with drug reimbursement data available from 2004. Women with at least two reimbursements of systemic glucocorticoids in any previous 3-month period since January 1, 2004, were defined as exposed. We considered exposure as a time-varying parameter, and we used multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of breast cancer. We performed a competing risk analysis using a cause-specific hazard approach to study the heterogeneity by tumour subtype/stage/grade.

RESULTS

Among 62,512 postmenopausal women (median age at inclusion of 63 years old), 2864 developed breast cancer during a median follow-up of 9 years (between years 2004 and 2014). Compared with non-exposure, glucocorticoid exposure was not associated with overall breast cancer risk [HR = 0.94 (0.85-1.05)]; however, it was associated with a higher risk of in situ breast cancer and a lower risk of invasive breast cancer [HRinsitu = 1.34 (1.01-1.78); HRinvasive = 0.86 (0.76-0.97); Phomogeneity = 0.01]. Regarding the risk of invasive breast cancer, glucocorticoid exposure was inversely associated with oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer [HRER+ = 0.82 (0.72-0.94); HRER- = 1.21 (0.88-1.66); Phomogeneity = 0.03]; it was also inversely associated with the risk of stage 1 or stage 2 tumours but positively associated with the risk of stage 3/4 breast cancers [HRstage1 = 0.87 (0.75-1.01); HRstage2 = 0.67 (0.52-0.86); HRstage3/4 = 1.49 (1.02-2.20); Phomogeneity = 0.01].

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that the association between systemic glucocorticoid use and breast cancer risk may differ by tumour subtype and stage.

[Steroid pulse -therapy in patients With coronAvirus Pneumonia (COVID-19), sYstemic inFlammation And Risk of vEnous thRombosis and thromboembolism (WAYFARER Study)]

Introduction Coronavirus pneumonia not only severely affects the lung tissue but is also associated with systemic autoimmune inflammation, rapid overactivation of cytokines and chemokines known as "cytokine storm", and a high risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism. Since there is no specific therapy for this new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), searching for an effective and safe anti-inflammatory therapy is critical.Materials and methods This study evaluated efficacy and safety of pulse therapy with high doses of glucocorticosteroids (GCS), methylprednisolone 1,000 mg for 3 days plus dexamethasone 8 mg for another 3-5 days, in 17 patients with severe coronavirus pneumonia as a part of retrospective comparative analysis (17 patients in control group). The study primary endpoint was the aggregate dynamics of patients' condition as evaluated by an original CCS-COVID scale, which included, in addition to the clinical status, assessments of changes in the inflammation marker, C-reactive protein (CRP); the thrombus formation marker, D-dimer; and the extent of lung injury evaluated by computed tomography (CT). Patients had signs of lung injury (53.2 % and 25.6 %), increases in CRP 27 and 19 times, and a more than doubled level of D-dimer (to 1.41 µg/ml and 1.15 µg/ml) in the active therapy and the control groups, respectively. The GCS treatment group had a more severe condition at baseline.Results The GCS pulse therapy proved effective and significantly decreased the CCS-COVID scores. Median score difference was 5.00 compared to the control group (р=0.011). Shortness of breath considerably decreased; oxygen saturation increased, and the NEWS-2 clinical status scale scores decreased. In the GCS group, concentration of CRP significantly decreased from 134 mg/dl to 41.8 mg/dl (р=0.009) but at the same time, D-dimer level significantly increased from 1.41 µg/ml to 1.98 µg/ml (р=0.044). In the control group, the changes were nonsignificant. The dynamics of lung injury by CT was better in the treatment group but the difference did not reach a statistical significance (р=0.062). Following the GCS treatment, neutrophilia increased (р=0.0001) with persisting lymphopenia, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio, a marker of chronic inflammation, increased 2.5 times (р=0.006). The changes in the N/L ratio and D-dimer were found to correlate in the GCS pulse therapy group (r =0.49, p=0.04), which underlined the relationship of chronic autoimmune inflammation with thrombus formation in COVID-19. No significant changes were observed in the control group. In result, four patients developed venous thromboembolic complications (two of them had pulmonary artery thromboembolism) after the GCS pulse therapy despite the concomitant antiplatelet treatment at therapeutic doses. Recovery was slower in the hormone treatment group (median stay in the hospital was 26 days vs 18 days in the control group, р=0.001).Conclusion Pulse therapy with high doses of GCS exerted a rapid anti-inflammatory effect but at the same time, increased the N/L ratio and the D-dimer level, which increased the risk of thromboembolism.

Steroid-induced hyperglycemia: An underdiagnosed problem or clinical inertia? A narrative review

Corticosteroids are widely diffused drugs. An important side effect is the impairment of glycemic control both in patients with known diabetes and in normoglycemic ones potentially leading to steroid-induced diabetes mellitus (SIDM). In this review based on papers released on PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE from January 2015 to October 2017, we summarized and discussed main updates about the definition, the diagnosis, and the pathophysiology of steroid-induced hyperglycemia (SIH), with a look to new therapies. Main alterations responsible for the diabetogenic effect of corticosteroids are a negative impact on insulin sensitivity along with a derangement on insulin secretion, explaining the typical post-prandial hyperglycemia linked to the promotion of gluconeogenesis. An early and precise diagnosis of SIH and/or SIDM is necessary, but current criteria do not seem sensible enough. As an afterthought, the treatment should be reasoned and tailored according to proposed glycemic thresholds and patient comorbidities, choosing between antidiabetic oral drugs and insulin, the latter being preferable among hospitalized patients. SIDM and SIH are frequent problems, but often underdiagnosed due to old diagnostic criteria. Dedicated guidelines universally shared are mandatory in order to harmonize the treatment of these conditions, thus overtaking single therapeutic strategies mostly arising from literature.

Systemic Effects of Repeated Intraocular Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant in Diabetic Patients: A Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of repeated intraocular dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) injections on metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODS

Retrospective study of 165 type 2 diabetic patients starting Ozurdex treatment who received no less than three consecutive injections. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides (TGs) were evaluated during 15 months of follow-up after Ozurdex treatment onset.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Mean baseline values for HbA1c, creatinine, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and TGs before treatment (7.1%, 1.3, 176.7, 51.1, and 125.6 mg/dl, respectively) were similar to mean values after Ozurdex onset (Wilcoxon test p values were 0.68, 0.41, 0.06, 0.87, and 0.33, respectively) and remained stable during the follow-up period. Mean LDL cholesterol levels increased slightly after Ozurdex treatment onset (90.1 vs 88.2 mg/dl, p = 0.04) but after 15 months of follow-up they had returned to baseline values. Transient increase in LDL cholesterol was remarkable in the group of 24 bilaterally treated patients (96.8 vs 88.4 mg/dl, p = 0.03). A third of these patients increased their baseline LDL values by more than 20%. Even with continuous injections of Ozurdex, LDL cholesterol levels also declined back to baseline by month 15.

CONCLUSION

Ozurdex injections had no influence on HbA1c or renal function. Lipid profile changes were mild and transient. However, a significant temporary increase has been found in LDL cholesterol levels in patients receiving simultaneous bilateral injections. Lipid levels should be monitored in patients starting with bilateral Ozurdex injections especially in those with recent history of acute myocardial infarction.

Glucocorticoid Excess Increases Hepatic 11β-HSD-1 Activity in Humans: Implications in Steroid-Induced Diabetes

CONTEXT

Animal studies indicate that glucocorticoids increase hepatic 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD-1) expression and activity.

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to determine whether glucocorticoid excess increases cortisol production in the liver via 11β-HSD-1 enzyme pathway in humans.

DESIGN

A total of 1 mg each [4-(13)C] cortisone and [9,12,12-(2)H3] cortisol were ingested, and [1,2,6,7-(3)H] cortisol was infused to measure C13 cortisol (derived from ingested [4-(13)C] cortisone) turnover using the triple tracer technique, whereas glucose turnover was measured using isotope dilution technique following [6-6(2)H2] glucose infusion during a saline clamp.

SETTING

This study took place at the Mayo Clinic Clinical Research Unit.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty nondiabetic healthy subjects participated.

INTERVENTION

Subjects were randomized to hydrocortisone (n = 15) or placebo 50 mg twice daily (n = 15) for 1 week.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Hepatic cortisol production and endogenous glucose production were measured.

RESULTS

Plasma cortisol concentrations were higher throughout the study period in hydrocortisone group. Rates of appearance of C13 cortisol and hepatic C13 cortisol production were higher in hydrocortisone vs placebo group, indicating increased hepatic 11β-HSD-1 activity. Higher plasma cortisol and presumably higher intrahepatic cortisol was associated with impaired suppression of endogenous glucose production in hydrocortisone vs placebo group.

CONCLUSION

Chronic glucocorticoid excess increases intrahepatic cortisone to cortisol conversion via the 11β-HSD-1 pathway. The extent to which this causes or exacerbates steroid induced hepatic insulin resistance remains to be determined.

Glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia

Corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia is a common medical problem that can lead to frequent emergency room visits, hospital admissions and prolonged hospital stay, in addition to the well known morbidity associated with hyperglycemia. However, the diagnosis and treatment of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia is surprisingly undervalued by most professionals, probably because of the lack of quality studies to determine specific strategies of action. In the present review, we discuss the pathophysiology of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia, focusing on diverse patterns of hyperglycemia induced by the different formulations, and provide clues for diagnosis based on the duration of treatment and the administration schedule of corticosteroids. We propose a treatment strategy based on both the pathophysiology of the process and the mechanism of action of different corticosteroids, and take into account dosing and administration timing to predict the duration of therapy. Finally, we propose treatment goals that differ slightly between the transient and continuous use of corticosteroids based on evidence from clinical practice guidelines of diabetes care both in ambulatory and hospital settings.

Glucocorticoids fail to cause insulin resistance in human subcutaneous adipose tissue in vivo

CONTEXT

It is widely believed that glucocorticoids cause insulin resistance in all tissues. We have previously demonstrated that glucocorticoids cause insulin sensitization in human adipose tissue in vitro and induce insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to determine whether glucocorticoids have tissue-specific effects on insulin sensitivity in vivo.

DESIGN

Fifteen healthy volunteers were recruited into a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study, receiving both an overnight hydrocortisone and saline infusion. The tissue-specific actions of insulin were determined using paired 2-step hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps incorporating stable isotopes with concomitant adipose tissue microdialysis.

SETTING

The study was performed in the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The sensitivity of sc adipose tissue to insulin action was measured.

RESULTS

Hydrocortisone induced systemic insulin resistance but failed to cause sc adipose tissue insulin resistance as measured by suppression of adipose tissue lipolysis and enhanced insulin-stimulated pyruvate generation. In primary cultures of human hepatocytes, glucocorticoids increased insulin-stimulated p-ser473akt/protein kinase B. Similarly, glucocorticoids enhanced insulin-stimulated p-ser473akt/protein kinase B and increased Insulin receptor substrate 2 mRNA expression in sc, but not omental, intact human adipocytes, suggesting a depot-specificity of action.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the first description of sc adipose insulin sensitization by glucocorticoids in vivo and demonstrates tissue-specific actions of glucocorticoids to modify insulin action. It defines an important advance in our understanding of the actions of both endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoids and may have implications for the development and targeting of future glucocorticoid therapies.

No difference in glycosphingolipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in healthy men

OBJECTIVE

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are well known to induce insulin resistance; however, mechanisms that cause the impairement of the insulin signaling pathway have not yet been identified. In this study we measured whether GC-induced insulin resistance in humans is related to changes in muscle ceramide, GM3, and muscle mitochondrial function.

METHODS

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-response intervention study, 32 healthy males (aged 22 ± 3 years; body mass index 22.4 ± 1.7 kg/m(-2)) were allocated to prednisolone (PRED) 7.5 mg once daily (n = 12), PRED 30 mg once daily (n = 12), or placebo (n = 8) for 2 weeks using block randomization. Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp before and after treatment. Muscle biopsies were performed to measure ceramide, monosialodihexosylganglioside (GM3), and mitochondrial function.

RESULTS

Peripheral insulin sensitivity was dose dependently decreased after the PRED treatment. Muscle ceramide and GM3 concentration and mitochondrial function were not altered by 2 weeks of PRED treatment.

CONCLUSION

Short-term GC treatment dose dependently impaired whole-body insulin sensitivity in healthy males, without concomitant changes in muscle ceramide, GM3, or mitochondrial function. These findings suggest that other mechanisms play a role in GC-related impairment of insulin sensitivity.

Baseline insulin/glucose ratio as a marker for the clinical course of hyperglycemic critically ill children treated with insulin

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the relations of baseline insulin/glucose ratio to the clinical course of critically ill children. Such information will provide insight into the pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to hyperglycemia and will optimize preventive and therapeutic measures for hyperglycemia in critically ill children.

METHODS

Sixty-four consecutively admitted critically ill children with hyperglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level higher than 8 mmol/L (>145 mg/dL) and treated with insulin according to a glucose-control protocol, were included. Demographic data and clinical and laboratory parameters were collected. Insulin sensitivity was investigated by calculating the ratio of insulin to the blood glucose level just before the start of insulin administration. Results are expressed as median (range).

RESULTS

Sixty-four children (24 girls) 7.0 y of age (0.3-16.9 y) with various diagnoses were included. A hyperinsulinemic response, indicated by an increased insulin/glucose ratio (>18 pmol/mmol), was seen in 55% of children. The durations of insulin therapy, mechanical ventilation, and pediatric intensive care unit length of stay in children with a hyperinsulinemic response were longer than in children with a hypoinsulinemic response.

CONCLUSION

Hyper- and hypoinsulinemic responses play a role in the occurrence of hyperglycemia in critically ill children. Each is associated with a particular clinical course after the initiation of insulin therapy. It would be worthwhile to further investigate if the insulinemic response to hyperglycemia, determined by the insulin/glucose ratio in combination with the type of organ dysfunction, could be used in clinical practice to determine the need for insulin therapy.

Prospective short-term effects of glucocorticoid treatment on glucose and lipid metabolism in Japanese

OBJECTIVE

Glucocorticoid (GC) causes various metabolic abnormalities; however, few prospective studies have examined the changes in glucose and lipid metabolism in newly GC-treated patients.

METHODS AND PATIENTS

The present study was therefore performed to analyze markers of glucose and lipid metabolism on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and at month 3 of treatment in patients starting GC therapy. Then, we analyzed the relationships between the changes in these parameters and the initial dose of prednisolone (PSL), separating groups into different regimens by the GC dose.

RESULTS

The fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level transiently increased on day 3 of PSL administration but was restored by day 7. The immunoreactive insulin (IRI) level and HOMA-R transiently increased on day 3 and then fell, although remaining significantly higher than each basal level by day 7. A transient elevation in FPG level on day 3 was observed only in groups with a PSL dose >or=40 mg. On the other hand, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased on day 3 of PSL administration and similar levels were maintained after day 7. High density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly increased on day 3; subsequently then gradually increased from days 3 to day 28. Triglyceride levels did not change during treatment. No relationship was apparent between the GC dose and the changes in each lipid parameter.

CONCLUSION

GC treatment induced changes in FPG, IRI, LDL-CHOL and HDL-CHOL levels from day 3 after start of GC. The dose of GC seemed to influence glucose metabolism, but not lipid metabolism.

Medical implications of obesity in horses--lessons for human obesity

There is growing recognition that obesity is common and represents a significant detriment to the health of companion animals in a manner similar to that by which it is affecting the human population. As is the case for other species, obesity appears to promote insulin resistance in horses and it is through this pathophysiological process that many of the adverse medical consequences of obesity are being characterized. Equine medical conditions that have been described in the context of obesity and insulin resistance differ from those in humans. Chronic human conditions that have been attributed to obesity and insulin resistance, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus, are rarely described in obese horses. Significant current interest is centered on the recognition that insulin resistance plays a role in the pathogenesis of laminitis, a potentially severe and debilitating cause of lameness in the equine species. Other equine medical conditions that are more likely in obese, insulin-resistant individuals include hyperlipemia (hepatic lipidosis) and developmental orthopedic disease (osteochondrosis). Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (equine Cushing's syndrome) represents another common endocrinopathic condition of older horses associated with insulin resistance. This review presents an introductory overview of the present understanding of obesity and insulin resistance and how these conditions may be associated with disease conditions in horses.

Lack of association between glucocorticoid use and presence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associates with excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, attributed to both traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors. The metabolic syndrome, a cluster of classical cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, obesity, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidaemia, is highly prevalent in RA. Reports suggest that long-term glucocorticoid (GC) use may exacerbate individual cardiovascular risk factors, but there have been no studies in RA to assess whether it associates with the metabolic syndrome. We examined whether GC exposure associates with the presence of metabolic syndrome in patients with RA.

Methods

RA patients (n = 398) with detailed clinical and laboratory assessments were categorised into three groups according to GC exposure: no/limited (<3 months) exposure (NE), low-dose (<7.5 mg/day) long-term exposure (LE), and medium-dose (greater than or equal to 7.5 mg to 30 mg/day) long-term exposure (ME). The metabolic syndrome was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Programme III guidelines. The association of GC exposure with the metabolic syndrome was evaluated using binary logistic regression.

Results

The metabolic syndrome was present in 40.1% of this population and its prevalence did not differ significantly between the GC exposure groups (NE 37.9% versus LE 40.7% versus ME 50%, P = 0.241). Binary logistic regression did not demonstrate any increased odds for the metabolic syndrome when comparing ME with LE (odds ratio = 1.64, 95% confidence interval 0.92 to 2.92, P = 0.094) and remained non significant after adjusting for multiple potential confounders.

Conclusions

Long-term GC exposure does not appear to associate with a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with RA. The components of the metabolic syndrome may already be extensively modified by other processes in RA (including chronic inflammation and treatments other than GCs), leaving little scope for additive effects of GCs.

Use of continuous glucose monitoring to estimate insulin requirements in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus during a short course of prednisone

BACKGROUND

Insulin requirements to maintain normoglycemia during glucocorticoid therapy and stress are often difficult to estimate. To simulate insulin resistance during stress, adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) were given a three-day course of prednisone.

METHODS

Ten patients (7 women, 3 men) using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps wore the Medtronic Minimed CGMS (Northridge, CA) device. Mean (standard deviation) age was 43.1 (14.9) years, body mass index 23.9 (4.7) kg/m(2), hemoglobin A1c 6.8% (1.2%), and duration of diabetes 18.7 (10.8) years. Each patient wore the CGMS for one baseline day (day 1), followed by three days of self-administered prednisone (60 mg/dl; days 2-4), and one post-prednisone day (day 5).

RESULTS

Analysis using Wilcoxon signed rank test (values are median [25th percentile, 75th percentile]) indicated a significant difference between day 1 and the mean of days on prednisone (days 2-4) for average glucose level (110.0 [81.0, 158.0] mg/dl vs 149.2 [137.7, 168.0] mg/dl; p = .022), area under the glucose curve and above the upper limit of 180 mg/dl per day (0.5 [0, 8.0] mg/dl.d vs 14.0 [7.7, 24.7] mg/dl.d; p = .002), and total daily insulin dose (TDI) , (0.5 [0.4, 0.6] U/kg.d vs 0.9 [0.8, 1.0] U/kg.d; p = .002). In addition, the TDI was significantly different for day 1 vs day 5 (0.5 [0.4, 0.6] U/kg.d vs 0.6 [0.5, 0.8] U/kg.d; p = .002). Basal rates and insulin boluses were increased by an average of 69% (range: 30-100%) six hours after the first prednisone dose and returned to baseline amounts on the evening of day 4.

CONCLUSIONS

For adults with T1DM, insulin requirements during prednisone induced insulin resistance may need to be increased by 70% or more to normalize blood glucose levels.