Risk of genital and urinary tract infections associated with SGLT-2 inhibitors as an add-on therapy to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective cohort study in Korea.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are antidiabetic drugs with associated safety concerns regarding the risk of genital and urinary tract infections. This study assessed the risk of genital and urinary tract infections associated with prescription of SGLT-2 inhibitors as an add-on therapy to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, sulfonylurea (SU), and thiazolidinedione (TZD). We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the NHIS-National Health Insurance-Database in Korea from 2014 to 2017. Patients aged ≥19 years and those diagnosed with T2DM prior to drug prescription were enrolled. The outcomes were genital and urinary tract infections. Analysis was performed using Cox's proportional hazard model following 1:1 propensity score matching to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Among the 107 131 patients included in the study, a total of 7738, 7145, and 2175 patients were assigned to the DPP-4 inhibitors, SU, and TZD comparator groups, using the propensity score (PS) of each comparator based on 7741 people in the assessed drug SGLT-2 inhibitor group. SGLT-2 inhibitors were associated with a higher risk of genital infections than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR: 2.39, 95% CI: 2.07-2.76), SU (HR: 3.23, 95% CI: 2.73-3.81), and TZD (HR: 3.23, 95% CI: 2.35-4.44), as an add-on therapy to metformin. Similar results were observed for the risk of urinary tract infections. In conclusion, SGLT-2 inhibitors are significantly associated with a higher risk of genital and urinary tract infections compared to DPP-4 inhibitors, SU, and TZD.

Effectiveness and safety of ertugliflozin for type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of data from randomized controlled trials.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the novel sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitor, ertugliflozin, compared with a placebo or other antihyperglycemic agents for type 2 diabetes patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to assess the benefits and harms of ertugliflozin. Online database searches were carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, WEB OF SCIENCE and Cochrane from inception up to 11 March 2021. Our end-points were glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose and bodyweight. We analyzed the results using a random effects model, computed weighted mean differences and risk ratios. RESULT: A total of 10 randomized controlled trials with 13,223 patients met the inclusion criteria. Compared with a placebo, the weighted mean differences in glycated hemoglobin were -0.77% (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.86 to -0.68%) for ertugliflozin 5 mg, and -0.82% (95% CI -1.01 to -0.63%) for ertugliflozin 15 mg. Ertugliflozin 5 mg daily was also associated with bodyweight loss (weighted mean difference -1.87 kg, 95% CI -2.12 to -1.6). When compared with a placebo, ertugliflozin significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose by -1.62 mmol/L (weighted mean difference, 95% CI -1.82 to -1.42 for 5 mg ertugliflozin). Yet, we observed a rising risk for genital mycotic infections (risk ratio 4.34, 95% CI 2.78-6.76). The results were similar for the 15 mg ertugliflozin group. CONCLUSION: Ertugliflozin effectively reduces glycated hemoglobin levels and provides extra clinical benefits including bodyweight and fasting plasma glucose. Common adverse effects, including genital mycotic infections and so on, were reviewed.

An integrated benefit-risk assessment of cobalt-containing alloys used in medical devices: Implications for regulatory requirements in the European Union.

In 2017, the European Union (EU) Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) recommended the classification of metallic cobalt (Co) as Category 1B with respect to its carcinogenic and reproductive hazard potential and Category 2 for mutagenicity but did not evaluate the relevance of these classifications for patients exposed to Co-containing alloys (CoCA) used in medical devices. CoCA are inherently different materials from Co metal from a toxicological perspective and thus require a separate assessment. CoCA are biocompatible materials with a unique combination of properties including strength, durability, and a long history of safe use that make them uniquely suited for use in a wide-range of medical devices. Assessments were performed on relevant preclinical and clinical carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity data for Co and CoCA to meet the requirements under the EU Medical Device Regulation triggered by the ECHA re-classification (adopted in October 2019 under the 14th Adaptation to Technical Progress to CLP) and to address their relevance to patient safety. The objective of this review is to present an integrated overview of these assessments, a benefit-risk assessment and an examination of potential alternative materials. The data support the conclusion that the exposure to CoCA in medical devices via clinically relevant routes does not represent a hazard for carcinogenicity or reproductive toxicity. Additionally, the risk for the adverse effects that are known to occur with elevated Co concentrations (e.g., cardiomyopathy) are very low for CoCA implant devices (infrequent reports often reflecting a unique catastrophic failure event out of millions of patients) and negligible for CoCA non-implant devices (not measurable/no case reports). In conclusion, the favorable benefit-risk profile also in relation to possible alternatives presented herein strongly support continued use of CoCA in medical devices.

Preterm birth and genitourinary tract infections: assessing gene-environment interaction.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of perinatal morbimortality worldwide. Genetic and environmental factors could raise PTB risk. The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution of the statistical interaction between genes and vaginal-urinary tract infections (VI-UTI) to the risk of PTB by clinical subtype. METHODS: Twenty-four SNPs were genotyped in 18 candidate genes from 352 fetal triads and 106 maternal triads. Statistical interactions were evaluated with conditional logistic regression models based on genotypic transmission/disequilibrium test. RESULTS: In PTB-idiopathic subtype mothers exposed to UTI, fetal SNPs rs11686474 (FSHR), rs4458044 (CRHR1, allele G), rs883319 (KCNN3), and maternal SNP rs1882435 (COL4A3) showed a nominal significant increment in prematurity risk. In preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), fetal SNP rs2277698 (TIMP2) showed a nominal significant risk increment. In mothers exposed to VI, fetal SNP rs5742612 (IGF1) in PTB-PPROM and maternal SNP rs4458044 (CRHR1, allele C) in spontaneous PTB showed nominal significant increment in prematurity risk. CONCLUSIONS: Certain maternal and fetal genes linked to infectious/inflammatory and hormonal regulation processes increase prematurity risk according to clinical subtype when mothers are exposed to UTI or VI. These findings may help in the understanding of PTB etiology and PTB prevention. IMPACT: Preterm birth is a major cause of perinatal morbimortality worldwide and its etiology remains unknown. This work provides evidence on the statistical interaction of six genes with gestational vaginal or urinary infections leading to the occurrence of preterm births. Statistical interactions vary according to infection type, genotype (maternal and fetal), and clinical subtype of prematurity. Certain maternal and fetal genetic variants of genes linked to infectious/inflammatory and hormonal regulation processes would increase the risk of prematurity according to clinical subtype and infection type. Our findings may help in the study of etiology of preterm birth and its prevention.