Risk of Urinary Tract Infections in Diabetic Patients Taking Sodium Glucose Inhibitors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76i4.12381Keywords:
Diabetes mellitus, Glycemic control, SGLT-2 inhibitors, Urinary tract infectionsAbstract
Objective: To examine the frequency and potential factors associated with urinary tract infections in patients on sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor therapy.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Diabetic Clinic and Medical Outpatients Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; from Nov 2023 to Apr 2024.
Methodology: This study included 185 adult patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus using sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor for at least three months. The patients with a prior history of chronic kidney disease, urinary tract abnormalities, or recent genitourinary surgery were excluded. The data was collected on demographics, clinical parameters, urinary tract infection history, and adherence to hygiene practices to evaluate urinary tract infection frequency.
Results: The majority of patients were aged 46-65 years 99(53.5%), with female predominance 110(59.5%). Amongst these, 56(30.3%) individuals reported a history of urinary tract infections. Risk factor analysis showed age (p=0.04), gender (p=0.02), body mass index (p=0.04) and comorbidities (p=0.05) were significantly associated with urinary tract infections. In the univariate analysis, gender and BMI showed significant associations with UTI, whereas age, comorbid conditions, smoking, and SGLT-2 inhibitor use did not reach statistical significance. Specifically, gender was associated with 2.7-fold higher odds of UTI, and higher BMI was linked to a 42% reduction in odds.
Conclusions: A notable frequency (30.3%) of urinary tract infections was observed in patients who were prescribed sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors. Certain factors, such as being female, being older, and having a higher body mass index, can increase the risk.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Zeeshan Asghar Jathol, Muhammad Imran, Ijaz Ahmed, Muhammad Huzaifa Rasheed, Sheraz Ahmed, Mumtaz Ali, Muhammad Iqbal
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