New research done by the University of Oxford scientists suggested that patients who are treated with steroids have a higher risk of diabetes as compared to others.
According to BBC, a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Madrid found steroids named glucocorticoids double the risk of developing diabetes.
Glucocorticoids are used in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions like cancer, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The researchers found that although steroids are beneficial for treating inflammation, but have negative impacts on the blood sugar levels.
For this study, the researchers analysed the clinical data of 451,606 adults admitted to the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust between 2013 and 2024, and it was found that patients who received systemic glucocorticoids have 2.6 times higher chances of developing diabetes.
The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Rajna Golubic, said, “These latest results give clinical staff a better estimate of how likely new diabetes is to occur and could prompt doctors to plan clinical care more effectively to detect and manage new diabetes.”
He further added, “While we studied hospital patients, glucocorticoid tablets can be prescribed by GPs for conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, and it is important that they, too, are aware of the link."
The researchers also vowed to expand data in future studies to get more accurate results.
