LAUSR

Systemic corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for hospitalized patients and are associated with adverse effects including hyperglycemia. In addition to exacerbating hyperglycemia in patients with preexisting diabetes, corticosteroids can precipitate new hyperglycemia in patients without diabetes [1]. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia during hospitalization is an independent marker for morbidity and mortality [2], and insulin is the preferred treatment [3]. In patients without diabetes, the reported incidence of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia (CIH) is 32–56% [4, 5]. However, strategies to identify patients at risk of CIH are not well-established. Several studies have recognized older age as a risk factor [6–8]. Other proposed risk factors include dose, African American race [6], abdominal obesity [9], family history of diabetes [10], and increased hospital length of stay (LOS) [4], but these are not consistently reported. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify risk factors for CIH requiring repeated insulin therapy in hospitalized patients without diabetes.