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

Ryan Pelletier, Kelvin Kuan Huei Ng, Wajd Alkabbani, Youssef Labib, Nicolas Mourad, John‐Michael Gamble

Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 2021

101 citations

Abstract

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…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.

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