Comparative effectiveness and safety of empagliflozin on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in adults with type 2 diabetes

Effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors on kidney, cardiovascular, and safety outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIMS

The overall effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 15-30 ml/min per 1.73 m²) remain unclear, and we thus conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on kidney, cardiovascular (CV), and safety outcomes in patients with advanced CKD.

METHODS

The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to March 3, 2022, and reporting effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on kidney, CV, or safety outcomes in patients with advanced CKD.

RESULTS

From 2675 records, six RCTs with 2167 participants were included in the quantitative analyses. In patients with advanced CKD, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risk of the primary kidney outcome (a composite of worsening kidney function, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), or kidney death) by 23% (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61-0.98, p = 0.04, I² = 0 for the heterogeneity) and slowed the annual decline in eGFR slope, with the difference between SGLT2 inhibitor group and placebo group being 1.24 mL/min/1.73m² per year (95% CI 0.06-2.42, p = 0.04). SGLT2 inhibitors were also associated with a decreased risk of primary CV outcome (a composite of CV death or hospitalization for heart failure) (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96, p = 0.03, I² = 0 for the heterogeneity) and with similar risks of adverse events (such as acute kidney injury, fracture, amputation, and urinary tract infection).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with advanced CKD, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risks of primary kidney and CV outcomes and attenuated the progressive decrease in eGFR compared with placebo, with no evidence of additional safety concerns. These observed benefits may support continuing the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with advanced CKD before initiating maintenance dialysis or kidney transplantation. Future large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm the robustness of these results.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and neurological disorders: a scoping review

Background

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are a group of antidiabetic medications with a favourable cardiovascular, renal and overall safety profile. Given the limited treatment options available for neurological disorders, it is important to determine whether the pleiotropic effects of SGLT2i can be utilised in their prevention and management.

Methods

All articles published before 20 March 2021 were systematically searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO and ClinicalTrials.gov. Overall, 1395 titles were screened, ultimately resulting in 160 articles being included in the qualitative analysis. Screening and data extraction were conducted by two independent authors and studies were excluded if they were not an original research study.

Findings

Of the 160 studies, 134 addressed stroke, 19 cognitive impairment, 4 epilepsy and 4 movement disorders, encompassing a range from systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials to bioinformatic and animal studies. Most animal studies demonstrated significant improvements in behavioural and neurological deficits, which were reflected in beneficial changes in neurovascular units, synaptogenesis, neurotransmitter levels and target receptors' docking energies. The evidence from the minority clinical literature was conflicting and many studies did not reach statistical significance.

Interpretation

SGLT2i may exert neurological benefits through three mechanisms: reduction in cardiovascular risk factors, augmentation of ketogenesis and anti-inflammatory pathways. Most clinical studies were observational, meaning that a causal relationship could not be established, while randomised controlled trials were heterogeneous and powered to detect cardiovascular or renal outcomes. We suggest that a longitudinal study should be conducted and specifically powered to detect neurological outcomes.

Adverse events associated with sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors: an overview of quantitative systematic reviews

Background:

Multiple published quantitative systematic reviews have reported on adverse events associated with the use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims:

To summarize and appraise the quality of evidence from quantitative systematic reviews assessing adverse events of SGLT-2 inhibitors.

Methods:

We searched PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for quantitative systematic reviews assessing SGLT-2 inhibitor safety. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed methodological quality using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) tool. Main outcomes included pooled and single study point estimaates (in the absence of pooled estimates) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of SGLT-2 inhibitors versus placebo or active comparators for genitourinary infections, volume depletion, acute kidney injury, bone fractures, diabetic ketoacidosis, lower limb amputations, cancers, and other notable adverse events.

Results:

Out of 1289 citations screened, 47 reviews assessed SGLT-2 inhibitor safety, of which 35 were of low quality. Canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin were consistently associated with an increased risk of genital tract infections versus placebo (point estimates ranged from 2.5 to 9.8) and other antihyperglycemic agents (point estimates ranged from 2.7 to 12.0). Canagliflozin and dapagliflozin were associated with an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis. Canagliflozin was the only agent associated with an increased amputation risk; however, this was driven by results from a single trial program. Dapagliflozin was the only agent that exhibited a statistically significant increased risk of urinary tract infections. Empagliflozin was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of bladder cancer; however, this finding was susceptible to detection bias. None of the agents were associated with a statistically significant increased risk of acute kidney injury, or bone fractures compared to placebo or mixed (active or placebo) comparators. Upper 95% CI limits do not rule out clinically meaningful outcomes.

Conclusion:

The majority of quantitative systematic reviews reporting on adverse events of SGLT-2 inhibitors were of low methodological quality. Despite almost 50 quantitative systematic reviews published on the safety of SGLT-2 inhibitors, clinicians are still left uncertain of the risks of important adverse effects.

Plain Language Summary

SGLT-2 iInhibitor side effects: overview of reviews

Many published systematic reviews have reported on side effects associated with the use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to summarize and appraise the quality of evidence from quantitative systematic reviews assessing side effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors. Using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) tool, two authors extracted data and assessed the methods of included reviews. Main outcomes included reported pooled and single study point estimates for several SGLT-2 inhibitor side effects such as genital infections, bone fractures, lower limb amputations, increased blood acidity, among others. Of the reviews included in our study, 35 of the 47 reviews assessed were of low quality. Canagliflozin and dapagliflozin were associated with an increased risk of blood acidity in a 2020 review. Canagliflozin was the only agent associated with an increased amputation risk; however, this was driven by results from a single trial program. Dapagliflozin was the only agent that exhibited a significantly increased risk of urinary tract infections. Empagliflozin was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer; however, this finding was susceptible to bias. None of the agents were associated with an increased risk of kidney injury or bone fractures.

The association of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors with cancer: An overview of quantitative systematic reviews

AIMS

To summarize reported cancer events associated with SGLT-2 inhibitors used in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as assess the quality of included reviews.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In May 2019, we searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for quantitative systematic reviews assessing the safety of SGLT-2 inhibitors. Data were abstracted using a standardized form, and methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Main outcome measures included total cancer events and specific cancers such as breast cancer, bladder cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, prostate cancer, respiratory cancer, renal cancer and skin cancer. Pooled treatment effects from included reviews were summarized for SGLT-2 inhibitors as a class and for individual SGLT-2 inhibitors commonly used worldwide (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin).

RESULTS

We screened 1248 unique citations, of which eight quantitative systematic reviews meta-analysed results from studies reporting the association between an SGLT-2 inhibitor and any cancer. Only one review was rated as high quality according to AMSTAR 2 assessment. In total, data from 170 cancer-related point estimates (PE) were reported. As a class, SGLT-2 inhibitors were not associated with an increased risk of any cancer event versus placebo and active comparators. Most point estimates (7/143) were nonsignificant for individual cancers except for two associations. Empagliflozin was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer versus placebo and active comparators in two reviews, while canagliflozin appeared protective for gastrointestinal cancer versus placebo and active comparators in one review.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that SGLT-2 inhibitors are not associated with an increased risk of total cancer or specific cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, higher quality evidence is needed to derive confident conclusions.