A rare case of incidental asymptomatic emphysematous cystitis in a patient taking empagliflozin
Abstract
Emphysematous cystitis (EC) is an uncommon and potentially serious urinary tract infection (UTI) characterized by gas formation within the bladder wall or lumen, frequently observed in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We report the case of a 76-year-old female with a history of atrial fibrillation (aFib) and heart failure (HF), who was incidentally diagnosed with EC on imaging during the evaluation of transient gross hematuria. She was clinically asymptomatic, with negative urine and blood cultures, and no systemic signs of infection. Notably, she was taking empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. The patient was managed conservatively with antibiotics, foley catheterization, and discontinuation of empagliflozin, with complete radiographic resolution of EC. This case highlights the hypothesis of potential association between SGLT2 inhibitors and EC. In our case, conservative treatment and removal of empagliflozin led to a complete resolution of EC.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Strategy for Mitigating DKA Risk in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes on Adjunctive Treatment with SGLT Inhibitors: A STICH Protocol
- Glucoraphanin: a broccoli sprout extract that ameliorates obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance
- SGLT2 Inhibitors in Heart Failure: Targeted Metabolomics and Energetic Metabolism
- Mechanisms of blood pressure reduction with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
- Sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors: beyond glycaemic control
- Decoding the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on cardiac arrhythmias in heart failure
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.