title: Overt diabetes mellitus caused by the topical administration of dexamethasone ointment on the oral mucosa.
abstract: We herein describe the case of a 68-year-old man who developed overt diabetes mellitus following the topical administration of dexamethasone 0.1%-containing ointment over a five-month period to treat oral lichen planus. The topical dexamethasone therapy was discontinued gradually, and the patient was subsequently treated with insulin for one month without clinical signs of overt adrenal insufficiency. An oral glucose tolerance test revealed impaired glucose tolerance after the treatment. The potential for the deterioration of glucose metabolism must be considered when patients with impaired glucose tolerance are treated with relatively low doses of topical corticosteroid ointment on the oral mucosa, even for short periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kahara
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Kosuke Robert
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Usuda
authors.forename: Naohito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: Yatsugi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D009824:Ointments
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D009824:Ointments; D003907:Dexamethasone