Some characteristics of steroid diabetes: a study in renal-transplant recipients receiving high-dose corticosteroid therapy.

Risk factors and course of steroid diabetes were investigated in 145 renal-transplant recipients who were given a high-dose steroid regimen. Persistent steroid diabetes developed in 25% of the patients and transient diabetes in another 22%. When antidiabetic therapy was required, insulin had to be given in 50%. The incidence of steroid diabetes correlated with steroid dose, age, body weight, and diabetes heredity but not with abnormal glucose tolerance or with another complication of steroid therapy, posterior-pole lenticular cataract. There was no association with HLA-A and B antigens. Thus, steroid diabetes is a frequent complication of high-dose corticosteroid therapy and is similar to type II diabetes. However, it often requires insulin therapy.