July 15, 2009
Hyperglycemia and DKA, Other Medications
Question from Oregon, USA:
My nine-year-old daughter has been sick off and on since she was four. She has recurring infections, asthma, allergies, chronic sinusitis, as well as intermittent hyperglycemia and positive GAD antibodies and an A1c 5.7 (as of fall 2008). Last year, she was diagnosed with cryptosporidium and she was extremely ill. This week, she was diagnosed with H. pylori and will be going on three daily medications for 14 days of treatment. Are there side affects of these medications that relate to blood sugar? Can H. pylori explain her intermittent hyperglycemia? Is there a relation of H. pylori and the GAD antibodies (as I read that somewhere, but wanted clarification)? Can these recurring sicknesses and infections have something to do with her intermittent hyperglycemia?
My daughter is being monitored by a endocrinologist and we were requested to check her blood sugar occasionally.
Answer:
It is unlikely that all those problems cause diabetes although they are nonspecific stressors. With any obvious flare, checking blood glucose levels is wise. Most worrisome are persistent positive antibodies as future predictor of loss of insulin production. No usual medicines would be a problem, but avoid corticosteroids like prednisone, if possible.
SB
