Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors and Fracture Risk

Abstract

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) appear to have increased risk for fractures. In this context, the finding that canagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT) inhibitor, increased the risk for fracture compared with placebo in the Canagliflozin Cardiovascular Assessment Study (CANVAS), a large randomized controlled trial (RCT) in patients with established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors, created concern. In the present review, we summarize the data regarding the association between SGLT2 inhibitors and fracture risk in patients with T2DM. In contrast to the findings reported in CANVAS, canagliflozin did not affect the risk of fracture in a more recent, large RCT in patients with diabetic nephropathy. In addition, empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, other members of this class, also do not appear to affect the incidence of fracture. Moreover, there is no clear pathogenetic mechanism through which SGLT2 inhibitors increase the risk for fractures. Therefore, available data are inconclusive to attribute to these drugs a direct responsibility for bone fractures.

Keywords: Canagliflozin; Dapagliflozin; Empagliflozin; Fracture; Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Fig. 1

Effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors on modulators of bone metabolism