Evidence Hub

Effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on serum uric acid level: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Zhao Y, Xu L, Tian D, Xia P, Zheng H, Wang L, Chen L

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2018

34 participants · 311 citations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on serum uric acid (SUA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with T2DM up to May 20, 2017. A total of 62 studies, comprising 34 941 patients, were included. Any of the SGLT2 inhibitors (empagliflozin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, tofogliflozin, luseogliflozin or ipragliflozin) significantly decreased SUA levels compared with control (total weighted mean difference [WMD] -37.73 μmol/L, 95% CI [-40.51, -34.95]). Treatment with empagliflozin resulted in a superior reduction in SUA (WMD -45.83 μmol/L, 95% CI [-53.03, -38.63]). The effect persisted during long-term treatment. Dapagliflozin decreased SUA in a dose-dependent manner (from 5 to 50 mg, P = .014). In subgroup analyses, greater reductions could be observed during the course of early diabetes and the SUA-lowering effect was abolished in patients with chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 ). The effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on SUA reduction suggests that this class of drugs might be beneficial for diabetic patients with hyperuricaemia.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 34 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

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.

Open this study Sign up free