Summary
Corticosteroid treatment produces glucose intolerance with insulin resistance. Recent reports have indicated that deflazacort (DF) is significantly less diabetogenic than prednisone (PN). A euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic (100 µU/ml) glucose clamp (EHGC) and 3H-glucose infusion for 240 min were performed in 6 healthy volunteers (HV) after administration of 15 mg PN or 18 mg DF, 12 h and 2 h before test. The glucose metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was significantly (p=0.02) higher after DF (4.75±0.58 ml/min·kg) than after PN (3.31±0.27 ml/min·kg). Basal hepatic glucose production (HGP) was significantly (p=0.003) lower after DF (3.58±0.33 mg/kg·min) than after PN (4.44±0.23 mg/kg·min). A similar pattern was obtained for glucose volume (GV) and glucose pool (GP). The kinetic parameters of insulin were not significantly different after the two drugs. After 7 day of PN 30 mg/day or DF 36 mg/day, EHGC and 3H-glucose infusion for 240 min were performed in 10 HV. Glucose MCR values were significantly (p=0.03) higher after DF (5.03±0.91 ml/min·kg) than after PN (2.80±0.26 ml/min·kg). HGP values did not different significantly after the two drugs. GV (p=0.001) and GP (p=0.002) were significantly lower after DF than after PN. Insulin kinetics were not significantly different after the two drugs. It is concluded that on acute and 7-day administration to healthy subjects DF, in an anti-inflammatory dose equivalent to PN, shows significantly less influence on glucose metabolism.
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Cavallo-Perin, P., Bruno, A., Ozzello, A. et al. Comparison of acute and subacute effects of deflazacort and prednisone on glucose metabolism in man. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 26, 357–362 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00548767
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00548767