A patient with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and type 2 diabetes has been treated for pneumonia for the past week. The patient has been receiving intravenous corticosteroids as part of his therapy. At this time, the pneumonia has resolved, but when monitoring the blood glucose levels, the nurse notices that the level is still elevated. What is the best explanation for this elevation?

The correct answer is B: The corticosteroids may cause an increase in glucose levels. Corticosteroids can lead to insulin resistance, causing elevated blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes. This occurs due to the corticosteroids' effect on glucose metabolism in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. The other choices are incorrect because hypoxia from COPD would typically lead to decreased insulin sensitivity (Choice A), antibiotics do not directly impact blood glucose levels (Choice C), and type 2 diabetes does not convert to type 1 (Choice D).