Frequency of Urinary Tract Infections in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Taking Dapagliflozin

Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in patients with diabetes. The use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) to achieve good glycemic control increases glucose levels in urine. This glycosuria further enhances the risk of UTIs. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of UTIs in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving the SGLT2i dapagliflozin as an add-on therapy. Methods We conducted this cross-sectional study at the Endocrinology Department of Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar from April 2020 to September 2020. A total of 400 patients with diabetes receiving either 5 mg or 10 mg of dapagliflozin as an add-on therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes were included in this study. We collected blood and urine samples from participants and measured glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Urine samples were cultured on cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient agar. We used IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) to analyze our data. Results The prevalence of UTIs in diabetic patients receiving 5 mg or 10 mg of dapagliflozin was 5.3%. Women were more affected (76.2%) than men (p < 0.05). UTIs were more prevalent in patients older than 50 years (85.7%) than in any other age group. The dose strength of dapagliflozin was not associated with UTIs (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study examined UTIs in patients taking dapagliflozin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These infections were mild to moderate and were treated easily. None of these infections caused the patient to discontinue the treatment. Dapagliflozin is well-tolerated in patients with diabetes but should be used with appropriate caution and monitoring.