BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between glucocorticoids (GCs) and insulin resistance (IR) in healthy individuals by conducting a systematic meta-analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted using 9 electronic databases. Only case-control studies investigating fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and IR were enrolled based on strictly established selection criteria. Statistical analyses were performed by Stata software, version 12.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA).

RESULTS: Among 496 initially retrieved articles, only 6 papers published in English were eventually included in this meta-analysis. A total of 201 healthy individuals (105 in GC group and 96 in control group) were included in the 6 studies. In 4 of these 6 studies, dexamethasone was used, and in the other 2 studies prednisolone was given. This meta-analysis revealed that the FPG, fasting insulin (FINS), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels in the GC group were all significantly higher than that in the control group (FPG: SMD=2.65, 95%CI=1.42~3.88, P<0.001; FINS: SMD=2.48, 95%CI=1.01~3.95, P=0.001; HOMA-IR: SMD=38.30, 95%CI=24.38~52.22, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our present study revealed that therapies using GCs might result in elevated FPG, FINS, and HOMA-IR, and thereby contribute to IR in healthy individuals.

Keywords: Case-Control Studies, Blood Glucose - metabolism, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood, Fasting - blood, Glucocorticoids - metabolism, Glucose Tolerance Test, Insulin - blood, Insulin Resistance - physiology