Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors and Urinary Tract Infections: A Propensity Score-matched Population-based...

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor-induced glycosuria is hypothesized to increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). We assessed the risk of UTIs associated with SGLT2 inhibitor initiation in type 2 diabetes.

We conducted a population-based cohort study using primary care data from the United Kingdom's Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and administrative health-care data from Alberta, Canada. From a base cohort of new metformin users, we constructed 5 comparative cohorts, wherein the exposure contrast was defined as new use of SGLT2 inhibitors or 1 of 5 active comparators: dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, sulfonylureas (SU), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA), thiazolidinediones (TZD) and insulin. We defined a composite UTI outcome based on hospitalizations or physician visit records. For each comparative cohort, we used high-dimensional propensity score matching to adjust for confounding and Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) in each database. We meta-analyzed estimates using a random-effects model.

SGLT2 inhibitor use was not associated with a higher risk of UTI compared with DPP-4 inhibitors (pooled HR, 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89 to 1.30), SU (pooled HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.30), GLP-1 RA (pooled HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.09) or TZD (pooled HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.55 to 1.19). The risk of UTI was lower compared with insulin (pooled HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.87). The risk of UTI did not differ based on the SGLT2 inhibitor agent or dose. Last, SGLT2 inhibitor initiation was not associated with an increased risk of UTI recurrence.

SGLT2 inhibitor use is not associated with an increased risk of UTIs, compared with other antidiabetic agents.