Frequency of steroid induced hyperglycemia in patients with dermatological disorders

Objective To assess the frequency of steroid-induced hyperglycemia in patients taking systemic steroids (30mg or more of prednisolone or equivalent) for dermatological disorders. Methods We included 150 patients of either sex and with ages between 12 and 70 years in this cross-sectional study, carried out in the department of dermatology, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore for a duration of 6 months. Their baseline fasting blood glucose level prior to the start of steroid treatment was recorded. Patients taking 30mg or more of prednisolone (or equivalent) were followed up after one week of treatment and their random blood sugar levels were checked by the same laboratory on venous blood, to see whether they developed hyperglycemia or not after treatment with steroids. Results Mean age of the patients was 41.83±16.42 years. Ninety-four (62.7%) patients were male while 56 (37.3%) were female. Hyperglycemia was found in 28 out of 150 (18.7%)  patients. Conclusion Steroid induce hyperglycemia occurred in 18.7% of the study population.