Efficacy of Glimepiride for the Treatment of Diabetes Occurring During Glucocorticoid Therapy

Approximately 5–25% of patients receiving glucocorticoids exhibit overt diabetes (1). Glucocorticoids may precipitate diabetes in individuals with impaired insulin secretion by reducing insulin sensitivity (2). The relative importance of β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance for the pathophysiology of the glucocorticoid-induced diabetes is not well defined. Therefore, there is no consensus treatment for glucocorticoid-induced diabetes. Glimepiride is a sulfonylurea that lowers blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells and secondarily by increasing glucose uptake in peripheral tissues (3). Such action mechanisms might be suitable for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced diabetes. Here we examined the effects of glimepiride on patients with newly diagnosed …