Skip to main content

Preoperative SGLT2 Inhibitor Users Have Increased Risk for Postoperative Euglycemic Ketoacidosis

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 13, 2025.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, May 13, 2025 -- Patients using sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) preoperatively have a slightly increased risk for postoperative euglycemic ketoacidosis (eKA) but a lower risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality, according to a study published online April 30 in JAMA Surgery.

Roberta Teixeira Tallarico, M.D., from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues examined the risk for postoperative eKA, AKI, and mortality within 30 days after surgery among preoperative long-term SGLT2i users versus nonusers in a multicenter, propensity-matched retrospective case-control study. Adults using SGLT2i preoperatively who underwent inpatient surgical procedures were compared to a propensity score-matched control group in a 1:5 ratio (7,439 users and 33,489 nonusers).

The researchers found that SGLT2i use was associated with an increased risk for eKA (odds ratio, 1.11), but with reduced risks for perioperative AKI and 30-day mortality (odds ratios, 0.69 and 0.70, respectively). Thirty days after surgery, the mortality rate was 1.1 and 1.6 percent among SGLT2i users and nonusers, respectively. The median hospital length of stay increased by three days for those presenting with eKA (median: six versus three days for those with and without eKA).

"The consequences of developing perioperative eKA are not fully understood; however, perioperative eKA may necessitate escalated interventions (i.e., insulin administration or continuous dextrose infusion), which could be associated with an increased risk of prolonged hospitalization or unplanned admission to an intensive care unit," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and health care industries.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

AI System Can Train Surgeons to Place Clamp on Renal Artery

MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2025 -- An artificial intelligence (AI) system can train surgeons to place a clamp on the renal artery using a phantom kidney, without the need for an instructor...

Higher Intake of Total Potatoes Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Risk

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- A higher intake of total potatoes, especially French fries, is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study...

Study IDs Barriers to GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Use in Adolescents, Young Adults

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- A considerable proportion of adolescents and young adults eligible for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are uninsured, and many...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.