Author: Angela Chen
Chen, Angela, 2024 Cardiometabolic effects of glucocorticoid excess: Inpatient hyperglycaemia and in adrenal incidentaloma, Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
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Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that produced by the adrenal glands and used to treat many diseases. Glucocorticoid excess is associated with several adverse cardiometabolic effects. These include high blood glucose, high blood pressure and obesity. This thesis characterised underlying factors that may contribute to cardiometabolic risk in two clinical models of glucocorticoid excess.
Firstly, it showed that five clinical factors including weight, sex, HbA1c, diabetes status and diabetes treatment contributed to approximately 65% of the insulin dose needed to treat high blood glucose in hospitalised patients receiving therapeutic glucocorticoids. Incorporation of these factors could improve treatment and reduce cardiometabolic risk in this patient group.
Secondly, it showed that impaired insulin secretion is a key mechanism that contributes to cardiometabolic risk in patients with benign adrenal gland tumours that secrete low levels of glucocorticoid in excess. Future considerations for diabetes management in this patient group is crucial.
Keywords: Glucocorticoid, Cortisol, Hyperglycaemia, Inpatient Hyperglycaemia, Glucocorticoid Induced Hyperglycaemia, Adrenal Adenoma
Subject: Medicine thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2024
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Morton Burt