Induction of glycosuria and hyperglycemia by topical corticosteroid therapy.

A patient with psoriasis is described who had an abnormal response to the glucose tolerance test without other evidence of diabetes and then developed postprandial hyperglycemia and glycosuria during a period of topical administration of a corticosteroid cream, halcinonide cream 0.1%, under occlusion. A second patient with a similar glucose tolerance test result showed postprandial hyperglycemia when treated similarly with betamethasone valerate cream 0.1%. Two additional patients with midly abnormal responses to glucose tolerance tests showed no evidence of altered glucose metabolism when treated with halcinonide cream in a similar manner.