December 8, 2000
Other Illnesses, Other Medications
Question from Smithville, Ontario, Canada:
Our three year daughter was diagnosed three months ago. About two months after diagnosis, she had, for the first time ever, a severe asthma attack. She previously had allergies to pollen and ragweed (we think). The doctors are not yet confirming asthma, but she did respond very well to a steroid-containing anti-asthmatic medication, which leads them to believe that it is likely. Our endocrinologist told us that due to the required use of steroids, her diabetes management will be more complicated due to higher sugar levels. Can you please explain further? What, if any, is the relationship between diabetes and asthma?
Answer:
Asthma is very common, so it is inevitable that some children with diabetes will also have asthma. However, the two are not specifically related, and, in fact, several studies show that asthma is less common in people with diabetes. Steroid treatment (specifically oral steroids) causes blood sugar levels to rise. Mild/moderate asthma can usually be controlled with inhaled steroids, and so little is absorbed into the bloodstream that there is no noticeable effect upon sugar levels.
KJR
