Safety of SGLT2 inhibitors in very elderly diabetic type 2 patients in real life

Abstract

Introduction: Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are the latest antidiabetic treatments that reduces mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. Its use in real life in very elderly patients is limited by its possible side effects. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients treated with SGLT2i in our community (La Rioja) since 2014. The safety (adverse effects) and prognosis (mortality, cardiac decompensation, and cardiovascular events) during the first 24 months of treatment were evaluated. Results: We included 235 patients treated with SGLT2i, 114 of them were men (48.5%), and the mean age was 79.6 ± 3.9 years. The most used SGLT2i was empagliflozin (55.7%). The mean Hb1Ac at the time of inclusion was 7.9 ± 1.4, showing a decrease in 47.7% of the included patients during the follow up. The initial values of creatinine and glomerular filtration rate at the time of inclusion (0.94 ± 0.3 and 68.3 ± 16.4) presented an improvement at 24 months of treatment (0.94 ± 0.27 and 68.2 ± 15.8). During follow-up, 94 adverse events were described in 84 patients, and 53 treatment suspensions. This adverse events were related with sex (p 0.004), dapagliflozin (p < 0.001) and initial Hb1Ac values (p 0.04). The most common adverse event were genitourinary infections (63), followed by acute kidney injury (9), being the latter the most frequent cause of treatment interruption. Symptomatic hypoglycaemia during the follow-up was related with treatment of insulin, age and Hb1Ac (p <0.01). Conclusions: Treatment with SGLT2i is a safe and well-tolerated treatment in very elderly patients in real life. Genitourinary infections are the most common adverse events, but those that less frequently cause treatment interruption.