Caution advised with dapagliflozin in the setting of male urinary tract outlet obstruction

Abstract

We describe an adverse outcome in a 70-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin. SGLT2 inhibitors act in the proximal tubules to prevent glucose reabsorption and induce urinary glucose excretion, they have been associated with increased risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). Our patient presented to hospital with Escherichia coli septicaemia with positive urine and blood cultures on the background of two previous UTIs occurring post commencement of dapagliflozin in the community. Renal tract ultrasound in hospital revealed incomplete bladder emptying with evidence of urinary stasis, and a postvoid residual vol..