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Complications of corticosteroid therapy

Complications of corticosteroid therapy
Neurologic
Common
Behavioral changes, insomnia, myopathy, hallucinations, hiccups, tremor, reduced taste and smell, cerebral atrophy
Uncommon
Psychosis, dementia, seizures, dependence, paraparesis (epidural lipomatosis)
Dermatologic
Thin/fragile skin, purpura, ecchymosis, striae, hirsutism, acne, inhibition of wound healing, Kaposi sarcoma
Rheumatologic
Osteoporosis, avascular necrosis, growth retardation, tendinous rupture
Gastrointestinal
Increased appetite, abdominal bloating, gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation, pancreatitis, liver hypertrophy
Ophthalmologic
Visual blurring, cataract, glaucoma, exophthalmos, uveitis
Cardiovascular
Hypertension, atherosclerosis, arrhythmia (with IV push)
Endocrine
Hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, hypernatremia, hyperlipidemia, redistribution of body fat (centripetal obesity, buffalo hump, etc), amenorrhea
Urogenital
Polyuria, genital burning (with IV push)
Miscellaneous
Opportunistic infections (including candidiasis, PCP), hypersensitivity reactions, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, night sweats
Steroid withdrawal
Pseudorheumatism (very common), headache, lethargy, low-grade fever, adrenal insufficiency, pseudotumor cerebri
IV: intravenous; PCP: Pneumocystis pneumonia.
Data adapted from Delattre JY, Posner JB. Neurological complications of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In: Neurology and General Medicine, Aminoff MJ (Ed), Churchill Livingstone, New York, 1994. p.421.
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