Residual Effect of Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor, Tofogliflozin, on Body Weight After Washout in Japanese Men With Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND: We investigated the potential mechanism underlying body weight reduction by the sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, tofogliflozin, during treatment and after subsequent washout. METHODS: Ten Japanese men with type 2 diabetes (average age: 66.3 years) were orally administered tofogliflozin (20 mg/day) for 8 weeks followed by a subsequent 8-week washout period (16 weeks). RESULTS: Significant reductions were observed in blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), uric acid, body weight and waist circumference with an increase in high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin at 8 weeks. We also evaluated these markers at 16 weeks and found that unlike HbA1c and uric acid, body weight and HMW adiponectin did not return to baseline levels. To clarify the potential mechanism underlying the body weight reduction during treatment with tofogliflozin (8 weeks) and after washout (at 16 weeks), we investigated the correlations between changes from baseline (0 week) in body weight and those in waist circumference (or HMW adiponectin). The changes in body weight between 0 weeks versus 8 weeks were not significantly correlated with those in waist circumference or HMW adiponectin. In contrast, changes in body weight between 0 and 16 weeks did show a significant correlation to those in waist circumference and HMW adiponectin. CONCLUSION: The body weight reduction caused by tofogliflozin may be due to several factors as well as fat reduction at 8 weeks, but is most likely due to fat reduction alone after a subsequent 8 weeks of washout of this agent.