title: Glucose intolerance after short-term administration of corticosteroids in healthy subjects. Prednisone, deflazacort, and betamethasone.
abstract: Glucocorticoid-induced glucose intolerance has been related to the dose, duration of treatment, and steroid compound. However, a clear demonstration of this phenomenon is still lacking for fluorinated corticosteroids. We performed an oral glucose tolerance test in six healthy volunteers after the short-term administration of deflazacort (18 + 18 mg), prednisone (15 + 15 mg), and betamethasone disodium phosphate (1.5 + 1.5 mg) at equivalent anti-inflammatory doses, in random sequence, and in a triple crossover design. Fasting plasma glucose levels were not modified by deflazacort, whereas fasting plasma glucose levels together with insulin and C-peptide values were progressively and significantly increased by prednisone and betamethasone. During oral glucose tolerance testing a significant increase in the plasma glucose and insulin peaks was recorded after betamethasone and, to a lesser extent, after prednisone and deflazacort. These results suggest that betamethasone induces greater glucose intolerance and insulin resistance than prednisone and deflazacort.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavallo-Perin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesco
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Imbimbo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000009:adverse effects; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007328:Insulin; D011282:Pregnenediones; D001623:Betamethasone; C021988:deflazacort; D011241:Prednisone