Correlation between Corticosteroid Administration and Incidence of Hyperglycaemia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Autoimmune disorders are conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy cells; one example is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Treatment with corticosteroids is crucial in managing RA, but it can cause side effects, one of which is hyperglycemia, which risks worsening the health of RA patients.Objectives: This study evaluates the correlation of glucocorticoid administration with the induced incidence of hyperglycemia adverse effect in rheumatoid arthritis patients.Methods: This study used a retrospective cross-sectional design in RA patients receiving corticosteroids at Dr. Kariadi General Hospital in Semarang (2023-2024). The instruments used were medical records and drug side effect reporting forms with the Naranjo algorithm. Data analysis was performed using statistical software including bivariate and multivariate analysis.Results: The results showed that more subjects experienced hyperglycemia in the moderate dose category, duration of use of more than 8 days, and intravenous route of administration, with a higher incidence in the female group. The corticosteroid methylprednisolone also appeared to be more frequently associated with hyperglycemia than triamcinolone or prednisone. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the variables of duration of use, route of administration, and corticosteroid classification.Conclusion: This study indicates that the classification of corticosteroids, duration of use, and route of administration may influence the incidences of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycaemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Intravenous administration and duration of therapy were correlated with an increased incidence of hyperglycaemia; nevertheless, this association was not statistically significant