Inpatient perioperative euglycemic DKA due to SGLT2 inhibitors - lessons from a case series and strategies to decrease incidence

Metabolic acidosis in patients with diabetes 2 undergoing cardiac surgery: The impact of SGLT2 inhibitor use: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-i) lower blood sugar and reduce cardiovascular events and kidney failure. However, there have been increasing reports of euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis (eDKA) linked to SGLT2-i medicines.

OBJECTIVE

Investigating the association between SGLT2-i use and the incidence of metabolic acidosis in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

A retrospective observational cohort study comprising 121 patients, with 38 in the SGLT2-i group and 83 in the control group.

SETTING

A 2-year period at Haukeland University Hospital, a tertiary regional hospital in Western Norway.

PATIENTS

Patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing cardiac surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Collection of clinical and laboratory data, including acid/base balance parameters, surgery details and SGLT2-i use.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Base excess and anion gap measurements as indicators of ketosis development. A subgroup analysis in patients without renal failure (glomerular filtration rate > 60 ml min -1  m -2 ) .

RESULTS

Lower base excess levels and increased anion gaps were observed in the SGLT2-i group compared with controls at various time points postoperatively, with no significant differences in serum lactate levels.Twelve hours postoperatively, 41% of SGLT2-i patients without renal failure had a base excess -3 mmol l -1 or less after correction for serum lactate (indicating ketosis) compared with only 8% in the control group ( P  < 0.001). The anion gap was elevated in the SGLT2-i group compared to the control group at 12 h postoperatively ( P  = 0.018).Multivariable regression analysis identified SGLT2-i use as an independent factor associated with a lower base excess after correction for lactate levels ( P  < 0.001). Cessation of SGLT2-i medication did not correlate with the degree of acidosis.

CONCLUSION

While taking SGLT2 inhibitors, diabetic patients undergoing heart surgery are at an increased risk of ketosis and possibly metabolic acidosis. This emphasises the importance of careful observation and effective treatment strategies within this group.

Anti-Hyperglycemic Medication Management in the Perioperative Setting: A Review and Illustrative Case of an Adverse Effect of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist

A host of anti-hyperglycemic agents are currently available and widely prescribed for diabetes and weight loss management. In patients undergoing surgery, use of these agents poses a clinical challenge to surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other perioperative care providers with regard to optimal timing of discontinuation and resumption of use, as well as possible effects of these agents on physiology and risk of postoperative complications. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of anti-hyperglycemic medications' effects on physiology, risks/benefits, and best practice management in the perioperative setting. Additionally, we report an illustrative case of small bowel obstruction in a patient taking semaglutide for 6 months prior to an otherwise uncomplicated laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. This review is meant to serve not as a replacement of, but rather as a consolidated complement to, various society guidelines regarding perioperative anti-hyperglycemic agent management.

Intraoperative Diagnosis of Sodium-Glucose Transporter-2 Inhibitor-Associated Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are increasingly used in diabetic patients having cardiovascular and renal comorbidities. Despite their benefits for glucose control and reducing cardiovascular complications, they are not without risks. We present a case of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in a 60-year-old male with metastatic melanoma and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on empagliflozin, undergoing craniotomy for brain tumor resection. Intraoperatively, high anion gap metabolic acidosis with normal blood sugar levels was observed, leading to the diagnosis of euglycemic DKA. Management included immediate initiation of intravenous insulin with dextrose, which was continued in the neuro-intensive care unit (NICU) postoperatively for three days. Euglycemic DKA is sometimes tricky to diagnose due to the absence of significant hyperglycemia as the name suggests, potentially delaying recognition by clinicians. Early detection, intravenous insulin with dextrose, correction of metabolic derangements, and discontinuation of SGLT2i are essential components of management. This case underscores the necessity of considering euglycemic DKA in SGLT2i-treated patients undergoing surgery, particularly when metabolic acidosis with a high anion gap is present despite normal blood glucose levels.

Inpatient diabetes management

Diabetes mellitus is currently approaching epidemic proportions and disproportionately affects patients in the hospital setting. In the United States, individuals living with diabetes represent over 17 million emergency department visits and 8 million admissions annually. The management of these patients in the hospital setting is complex and differs considerably from the outpatient setting. All patients with hyperglycemia should be screened for diabetes, as in-hospital hyperglycemia portends a greater risk for morbidity, mortality, admission to an intensive care unit, and increased hospital length of stay. However, the definition of hyperglycemia, glycemic targets, and strategies to manage hyperglycemia in the inpatient setting can vary greatly depending on the population considered. Moreover, the presenting illness, changing nutritional status, and concurrent hospital medications often necessitate thoughtful consideration to adjustments of home diabetes regimens and/or the initiation of new insulin doses. This review article will examine core concepts and emerging new literature surrounding inpatient diabetes management, including glycemic targets, insulin dosing strategies, noninsulin medications, new diabetes technologies, inpatient diabetes management teams, and discharge planning strategies, to optimize patient safety and satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and even hospital financial health.

Risk of perioperative discontinuation of SGLT2 inhibitors

When sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors were primarily prescribed for treatment of diabetes mellitus, guidelines recommended withholding SGLT2 inhibitors before surgery to mitigate the associated risk of ketoacidosis. However, currently, SGLT2 inhibitors are an established therapy for patients with heart failure, and there is evidence that withholding SGLT2 inhibitors can worsen these patients' cardiovascular risk profile. We present an updated risk-benefit analysis of withholding SGLT2 inhibitors before surgery, focusing on patients with heart failure and addressing the risk of ketoacidosis and its treatment in these patients. Clinicians should consider perioperative continuation of SGLT2 inhibitors when prescribed for treatment of heart failure.

From Sweet to Sour: SGLT-2-Inhibitor-Induced Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are highly selective, effective, and generally well-tolerated antihyperglycemic agents targeting the SGLT-2 transmembrane protein. Despite being primarily registered for diabetes treatment, due to their cardiorenal protective properties, SGLT-2 inhibitors caused a paradigm shift in the treatment of other diseases on the cardiorenal spectrum, becoming a fundamental part of heart failure and chronic kidney disease management. With their rapidly increasing use, there are also increased reports of a rare, often under-recognised and potentially deadly side effect, SGLT-2-inhibitor-induced euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (EDKA). The primary pathophysiological process behind its multifactorial aetiology comprises glucosuria and osmotic diuresis, which produce a significant carbohydrate deficit, leading to an increase in the glucagon-insulin ratio, thus resulting in accelerated ketogenesis. Although EDKA has a similar clinical presentation as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), the absence of the high glucose levels typically expected for DKA and the presence of urine ketone reabsorption contribute to a significant delay in its recognition and timely diagnosis. Given the broad use of SGLT-2 inhibitors, increased awareness, early recognition, and prompt identification of precipitating factors are essential. In this narrative review, we comprehensively explore the pathophysiological mechanisms of SGLT-2-inhibitor-induced EDKA, analyse its clinical manifestation, and identify the most common triggers for its development. We also discuss EDKA management and preventive strategies.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Should Be Avoided for the Inpatient Management of Hyperglycemia

OBJECTIVE

Hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is frequently encountered in the hospital setting. The recent guidelines for the management of inpatient hyperglycemia have included the use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors as an alternative to standard insulin therapy in select patients. This raises the question of the inpatient use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), which have gained increasing popularity in the outpatient setting because of beneficial cardiovascular and renal outcomes. This article describes the risks associated with the use of SGLT2i for the management of inpatient hyperglycemia.

METHODS

A literature review was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar for studies assessing the inpatient use of SGLT2i. Search terms included "SGLT2 inhibitors," "euglycemic DKA," "inpatient hyperglycemia," "DPP4 inhibitors," "hypovolemia," and "urinary tract infections." Studies not written in English were excluded. Forty-eight articles were included.

RESULTS

Review of the literature showed significant safety concerns with the use of SGLT2i for the inpatient management of hyperglycemia. Hospitalized patients treated with SGLT2i were at increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis, hypovolemia, and urinary tract infections. When compared head-to-head, SGLT2i were not more effective for inpatient glycemic control than dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors and did not reduce insulin requirements when used in combination with insulin. Although SGLT2i can be considered for the treatment of congestive heart failure, they should be started close to or at the time of discharge.

CONCLUSION

Although SGLT2i are a preferred pharmacotherapy class for the outpatient management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, there are considerable safety concerns when using them in a hospital setting, and avoidance is recommended.

Prevalence of sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitor-associated diabetic ketoacidosis in real-world data: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised the labels of sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in December 2015 to inform users regarding the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). As more drugs of this class are approved and their indications are expanded, this serious adverse effect has been increasingly reported.

OBJECTIVE

This review evaluated observational studies to inform the prevalence of SGLT2-inhibitor-associated DKA compared with other antihyperglycemic agents.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE until 19 July 2022 (PROSPERO: CRD42022385425). We included published retrospective cohort active comparator/new user (ACNU) and prevalent new user studies assessing SGLT2-inhibitor-associated DKA prevalence in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) against active comparators. We excluded studies which lacked 1:1 propensity score matching. The JBI Checklist for Cohort Studies guided the risk-of-bias assessments. Meta-analysis was conducted based on the inverse variance method in R software.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies with a sample of 2,956,100 nonunique patients met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in North America (n = 9) and adopted the ACNU design (n = 15). Meta-analysis of 14 studies identified 33% higher DKA risk associated with SGLT2 inhibitors (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.14-1.55, P < 0.01). Meta-regression analysis identified the study location (P = 0.02), analysis principle (P < 0.001), exclusion of chronic comorbidities (P = 0.007), and canagliflozin (P = 0.04) as significant moderator variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite limitations related to heterogeneity, generalizability, and misclassification, the results of this study show that SGLT2 inhibitors increase the prevalence of DKA among adult T2DM patients in the real world. The findings supplement evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and call for continued vigilance.

Dose-dependent relationship between SGLT2 inhibitor hold time and risk for postoperative anion gap acidosis: a single-centre retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Use of sodium-glucose transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors has dramatically increased over the past decade. This medication class predisposes patients to euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis, particularly during times of physiologic stress, including fasting and surgery. Beyond case reports and series, a systematic description of perioperative metabolic effects of SGLT2 inhibitors is lacking.

METHODS

We examined the degree of anion gap acidosis, controlling for non-ketone anions, in patients undergoing surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2016-22. We constructed a multivariable regression model incorporating known non-ketone contributors to the postoperative anion gap (albumin, lactate, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and preoperative anion gap), hold time, and interaction terms between hold time and three previously suggested risk factors for euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis: emergency surgery, cardiac surgery, and insulin use.

RESULTS

In 463 patients on SGLT2 inhibitors, we observed a strong association between decreased hold time and postoperative anion gap (P<0.001 in a univariable analysis; -0.43, 95% confidence interval [-0.76 to -0.11] change in anion gap per day held, P=0.01 in a multivariable analysis). A significant interaction between hold time and emergency surgery was observed, whereas there was no apparent interaction with insulin use or cardiac surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide the first evidence that an anion gap acidosis, likely from ketoacids, develops in all patients who do not hold SGLT2 inhibitors before surgery rather than in an idiosyncratic few. If an SGLT2 inhibitor is unable to be stopped, postoperative monitoring of anion gap and serum ketones can help detect clinically significant euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis, particularly in those undergoing emergency surgery.

A Case of Prolonged Recovery for Post-percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitor-Induced Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis in a 28-Year-Old

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a rare, but clinically important, presentation that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. It has been associated with multiple etiologies, including sodium-glucose cotransport-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor use. This case report details the presentation of a 28-year-old male patient who was recently diagnosed with non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) status post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to left anterior descending (LAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and discharged on a new medical regiment that included an SGLT2 inhibitor. The patient presented five days later with dyspnea, nausea, and vomiting. On initial evaluation, he had tachycardia and hypertension. Lab work revealed hyperkalemia, metabolic anion gap acidosis, and the presence of ketones and glucose in the urine, which led to the diagnosis of euglycemic DKA. The patient was started on intravenous (IV) insulin, bicarbonate, and D5 ½ normal saline (NS) and required five days of continuous treatment for the anion gap to close. Considering studies have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors are associated with euglycemic DKA, it is proposed that the use of an SGLT2 inhibitor in this newly diagnosed, post-PCI patient led to the development of euglycemic DKA. DKA most commonly resolves within 24 hours of treatment; however, our patient did not recover until after 120 hours of treatment. Recent studies have suggested that SGLT2-inhibitor euglycemic DKA may be associated with longer recovery time; however, there is still a need to further research the consistency of these findings and quantify the estimated duration of treatment across populations. There is also a need for investigation into how co-morbid factors, such as a recent NSTEMI and PCI, may affect recovery times or predispose patients who are taking SGLT2-inhibitors to develop euglycemic DKA as SGLT2 inhibitors are being more widely prescribed. This case report highlights the importance of creating more detailed and evidence-based guidelines for prescribing SGLT2 inhibitors for patients with diabetes and encourages more research into the expected duration of treatment for patients with SGLT2-induced euglycemic DKA and factors that may affect it.

Use of SGLT2 inhibitors after bariatric/metabolic surgery: Risk/benefit balance

Bariatric/metabolic surgery and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are becoming increasingly popular for the management of overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Consequently, the chance that a patient undergoing bariatric/metabolic surgery is also treated with an SGLT2i would be rather common in clinical practice. Both risks and benefits have been reported. On the one hand, several cases of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis have been reported within the few days/weeks after bariatric/metabolic surgery. The causes are diverse but a drastic reduction in caloric (carbohydrate) intake most probably plays a crucial role. Thus, SGLT2is should be stopped a few days (and even more if a pre-operative restricted diet is prescribed to reduce liver volume) before the intervention and reintroduced only when the caloric (carbohydrate) intake is sufficient. On the other hand, SGLT2is may exert a favorable effect to reduce the risk of postprandial hypoglycemia, a complication reported among patients who have been treated with bariatric/metabolic surgery. An increased hepatic glucose production and a reduced production of interleukin-1β have been proposed as possible underlying mechanisms for this protective effect. Finally, whether SGLT2is could prolong diabetes remission following surgery and improve the prognosis of patients with T2DM who benefit from bariatric/metabolic surgery remains to be investigated.

Postcardiac Surgery Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Patients on Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) use and complications (euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis [eDKA] rate, mortality, infection, hospital, and cardiovascular intensive care unit [CVICU] length of stay [LOS]) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

A retrospective study.

SETTING

At an academic university hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

SGLT2i use versus no SGLT2i use.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The authors evaluated patients undergoing cardiac surgery within 24 hours of hospital admission (between February 2, 2019 to May 26, 2022) for SGLT2i prevalence and eDKA frequency. The outcomes were compared using Wilcoxon rank sum and chi-square testing as appropriate. The cohort included 1,654 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, of whom 53 (3.2%) were prescribed an SGLT2i before surgery; 8 (15.1%) of 53 had eDKA. The authors found no differences between patients with and without SGLT2i use in hospital LOS (median [IQR]: 4.5 [3.5-6.3] v 4.4 [3.4-5.6] days, p = 0.46) or CVICU LOS (median [IQR]: 1.2 [1.0-2.2] v 1.1 [1.0-1.9] days, p = 0.22), 30-day mortality (1.9% v 0.7%, p = 0.31), or sternal infections (0.0% v 0.3%, p = 0.69). Among patients prescribed an SGLT2i, those with and without eDKA had similar hospital LOS (5.1 [4.0-5.8] v 4.4 [3.4-6.3], p = 0.76); however, CVICU LOS was longer in patients with eDKA (2.2 [1.5-2.9] v 1.2 [0.9-2.0], p = 0.042). Mortality (0.0% v 2.2%, p = 0.67) and wound infections (0.0% v 0.0%, p > 0.99) were similarly rare.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative eDKA occurred in 15% of patients on an SGLT2i prior to cardiac surgery, and was associated with longer CVICU LOS. Future studies into SGLT2i management perioperatively are important.

Current practice in the perioperative management of patients with diabetes mellitus: a narrative review

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing, and patients with diabetes mellitus have both an increased likelihood of requiring surgery and of developing postoperative complications when they do. We summarise available evidence underpinning current guidelines on preoperative assessment and optimisation, perioperative management of prescribed insulin and oral hypoglycaemic medication, intraoperative glycaemic control, and postoperative patient care.