Clinical Predictors of the Hypoglycemic Effect of Sodium-Glucose Co-transporter-2 Inhibitors in Hyperuricemic Patients: A Retrospective Descriptive Observational Study

Sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors decrease glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and prevent the progression of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Because uric acid and electrolytes are physiologically similar to blood glucose in renal excretion, we assessed predictors for the hypoglycemic effect of SGLT2 inhibitor treatment by focusing on serum uric acid and serum electrolytes. We performed a retrospective descriptive observational study at the Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, from June 2015 to July 2018. Patients who received treatment with any type of SGLT2 inhibitor were selected, which included a total of 165 patients. The response to SGLT2 inhibitors defined as changes in HbA1c after SGLT2 inhibitor treatment was the main outcome measure. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess predictors for the hypoglycemic effect by SGLT2 inhibitors. Among the 165 patients, SGLT2 inhibitor treatment decreased HbA1c from 8.2 to 7.6% after 12 weeks (p <0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that predictors of early response to SGLT2 inhibitors were serum uric acid values (p = 0.014) and baseline HbA1c (p <0.001). Furthermore, late response to SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with serum uric acid value (p = 0.047) and baseline HbA1c (p < 0.001). Serum uric acid did not vary during SGLT2 inhibitor treatment; specifically, the SGLT2 inhibitors did not reduce scrum uric acid levels. There was no correlation between changes in serum uric acid and HbA1c (p = 0.13). Thus, this study showed that serum uric acid value is associated with the control of diabetes mellitus during SGLT2 inhibitor treatment. Further studies are required to validate these results.