Association of Continued Use of SGLT2 Inhibitors From the Ambulatory to Inpatient Setting With Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Limited data are available on the continuation of outpatient sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) during hospitalization. The objective was to evaluate associations of SGLT2i continuation in the inpatient setting with hospital outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This nationwide cohort study used Veterans Affairs health care system data of acute care hospitalizations between 1 April 2013 and 31 August 2021. A total of 36,505 admissions of patients with diabetes with an outpatient prescription for an SGLT2i prior to hospitalization were included. The exposure was defined as SGLT2i continuation during hospitalization. Admissions where SGLT2i was continued were compared with admissions where it was discontinued. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were acute kidney injury (AKI) and length of stay (LOS). Negative binomial propensity score–weighted and zero-truncated analyses were used to compare outcomes and adjusted for multiple covariates, including demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS Mean (SE) age was 67.2 (0.1) and 67.5 (0.1) years (P = 0.03), 97.0% and 96.6% were male (P = 0.1), 71.3% and 72.1% were White, and 20.8% and 20.5% were Black (P = 0.52) for the SGLT2i continued and discontinued groups, respectively. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, race, BMI, Elixhauser comorbidity index, procedures/ surgeries, and insulin use), the SGLT2i continued group had a 45% lower mortality rate (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.55, 95% CI 0.42–0.73, P < 0.01), no difference in AKI (IRR 0.96, 95% CI 0.90–1.02, P = 0.17), and decreased LOS (4.7 vs. 4.9 days) (IRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.93–0.98, P < 0.01) versus the SGLT2i discontinued group. Similar associations were observed across multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS Continued SGLT2i during hospitalization among patients with diabetes was associated with lower mortality, no increased AKI, and shorter LOS.