The effect of long-term cyclosporin and prednisone therapy on insulin secretory reserve
Teuscher, A.U.; Seaquist, E.R.; Pittelkow, M.R.; Robertson, R.P.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 124(45): 2036-2038
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 7973537 Document Number: 423189
Insulin secretory reserve assessed by the method of glucose potentiation of arginine induced insulin secretion is decreased in non-diabetic transplant recipients using triple immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. To determine whether this defect is due to the combined therapy or to a single agent, we examined the acute insulin response (AIR) to arginine at 5 levels of glucose (basal and 4 levels achieved by continuous glucose infusions) in 7 normoglycemic arthritis patients (AP) using long term prednisone (10.3 +/- 37 mg for 83 +/- 37 months), and 4 normoglycemic psoriasis patients (PP) using long term cyclosporine (350 +/- 61 mg for 25 +/- 4 months) and compared them with matched healthy controls (CON). Long-term cyclosporine (ANOVA p = 0.016 compared to control subjects) but not prednisone treatment decreased insulin secretory reserve. We conclude that cyclosporine might have an adverse effect on beta-cell function and contribute to posttransplant diabetes.