Ertugliflozin and sitagliptin: Drug information

Concerns related to adverse effects:

• Arthralgia: Severe and disabling arthralgia has been reported with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor use; onset may occur within one day to years after treatment initiation and may resolve with discontinuation of therapy. Some patients may experience a recurrence of symptoms if DPP-4 inhibitor therapy resumed.

• Bone fractures: An increased incidence of bone fractures has been observed with other sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in some clinical trials. A placebo-controlled trial with ertugliflozin conducted over 2 years did not demonstrate an increased fracture risk; similar changes in bone mineral density (BMD) were observed between groups, except at the hip where a greater decrease in BMD was observed with ertugliflozin (Gallo 2019).

• Bullous pemphigoid: DPP-4 inhibitor use has been associated with development of bullous pemphigoid; cases have typically resolved with topical or systemic immunosuppressive therapy and discontinuation of DPP-4 inhibitor therapy. Advise patients to report development of blisters or erosions. Discontinue therapy if bullous pemphigoid is suspected and consider referral to a dermatologist.

• Genital mycotic infections: Ertugliflozin may increase the risk of genital mycotic infections (eg, vulvovaginal mycotic infection, vulvovaginal candidiasis, vulvovaginitis, candida balanitis, balanoposthitis). Patients with a history of these infections or uncircumcised males are at greater risk.

• Hypersensitivity reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, angioedema, and exfoliative skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, have been reported with sitagliptin; discontinue if signs/symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions occur. Events have generally been noted within the first 3 months of therapy, and may occur with the initial dose. Use with caution if patient has experienced angioedema with other DPP-4 inhibitor use.

• Hypotension: Ertugliflozin may cause symptomatic hypotension due to intravascular volume depletion especially in patients with renal impairment (ie, eGFR <60 mL/minute/1.73 m²), elderly, patients on other antihypertensives (eg, diuretics, angiotensin-converting-enzyme [ACE] inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers [ARBs]), or those with low systolic BP. Assess volume status prior to initiation in patients at risk of hypotension and correct if depleted; monitor for signs and symptoms of hypotension after initiation.

• Ketoacidosis: Cases of ketoacidosis (some fatal) have been reported in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving SGLT2 inhibitors; in some cases, patients have presented with normal or only modestly elevated blood glucose (<250 mg/dL). Before initiating treatment, consider risk factors that may predispose to ketoacidosis (eg, pancreatic insulin deficiency, dose decreases of insulin, caloric restriction, alcohol abuse, acute febrile illness, surgery, any other extreme stress event). Consider temporary discontinuation of therapy ≥4 days prior to surgery or any event that may precipitate ketoacidosis; ensure risk factors are resolved prior to reinitiating therapy. Patients presenting with nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, generalized malaise, and/or shortness of breath should be assessed immediately for ketoacidosis; discontinue therapy and treat promptly if ketoacidosis is suspected.

• Lower limb amputation: There is conflicting data involving the risk of lower limb amputations with SGLT2 inhibitor therapy. Canagliflozin was associated with almost a 2-fold increased risk of lower limb amputations compared to placebo in the CANVAS and CANVAS-R trials, which included patients with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk (Neal 2017). Similar analyses with ertugliflozin have not yet been published. The following FDA guidance (developed specifically for canagliflozin) may reasonably apply to use of other SGLT2 inhibitors: Prior to initiation, consider risk factors for amputation including prior amputation, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, and diabetic foot ulcers. Counsel patients about the importance of preventative foot care. Discontinue therapy if any of the following occur: signs and symptoms of new infection (including osteomyelitis), new pain or tenderness, or sores/ulcers involving the lower limbs (FDA Drug Safety Communication 2017).

• Necrotizing fasciitis: Cases of necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum (Fournier gangrene), a rare but serious and potentially fatal infection, have been reported in patients receiving SGLT2 inhibitors. Assess patients presenting with fever or malaise along with genital or perianal pain, tenderness, erythema, or swelling for necrotizing fasciitis. Discontinue in patients who develop necrotizing fasciitis and initiate treatment immediately.

• Pancreatitis: Cases of acute pancreatitis (including hemorrhagic and necrotizing with some fatalities) have been reported with sitagliptin. Monitor for signs/symptoms of pancreatitis; discontinue use immediately if pancreatitis is suspected and initiate appropriate management. Use with caution in patients with a history of pancreatitis as it is not known if this population is at greater risk.

• Renal effects: Acute kidney injury has been reported with SGLT2 inhibitors. Prior to initiation, consider risk factors for acute kidney injury (eg, hypovolemia, chronic renal insufficiency, heart failure, use of concomitant medications [eg, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs]). Temporarily discontinue use with reduced oral intake or fluid losses; discontinue use if acute kidney injury occurs. Additional abnormalities in renal function (decreased eGFR, increased serum creatinine) and adverse effects related to renal function may occur. Worsening renal function, including acute renal failure, sometimes requiring dialysis has been reported with sitagliptin. Assess renal function prior to initiation and periodically during treatment.

• Urinary tract infection: Serious urinary infections including urosepsis and pyelonephritis requiring hospitalization have been reported; treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors increase the risk for urinary tract infections (UTI); monitor for signs and symptoms of UTI and treat as needed.

Disease-related concerns:

• Bariatric surgery:

– Altered absorption: Absorption may be altered given the anatomic and transit changes created by gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy surgery (Mechanick 2020; Melissas 2013).

– Dehydration: Evaluate, correct, and maintain postsurgical fluid requirements and volume status prior to initiating therapy and closely monitor the patient for the duration of therapy; volume depletion and related adverse events (eg, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, syncope) have occurred. Fluid intake may be more difficult after gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric band (Mechanick 2020).

– Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis: Discontinue therapy 3 to 5 days prior to surgery (Bobart 2016). Postoperatively, assess volume status, caloric intake, and need for diabetes treatment and withhold antidiabetic medication if type 2 diabetes is in remission. Ketoacidosis has been reported in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes on SGLT2 inhibitors. In some cases, normal or only modestly elevated blood glucose was present (<250 mg/dL) (van Niekerk 2018). Risk factors include significant reduction in insulin, caloric restriction, stress of surgery, and infection.

– Glucagon-like peptide-1 exposure and therapeutic efficacy: Closely monitor for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis; gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy may increase endogenous secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (Korner 2009; Peterli 2012). A single-dose, placebo-controlled study evaluated short-term therapy (4 weeks) with sitagliptin in gastric bypass patients having persistent or recurrent type 2 diabetes and found it to be well tolerated and provided a small but significant reduction in postprandial blood glucose (Shah 2018).

• Cardiovascular disease: In cardiovascular outcome trials of patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, treatment with other DPP-4 inhibitors has been associated with heart failure. In a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, sitagliptin has been determined to be an agent that may exacerbate underlying myocardial dysfunction (magnitude: major) (AHA [Page 2016]). However, in one large randomized, double-blinded trial in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease (history of major coronary artery disease, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, or atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease), the occurrence of the primary composite cardiovascular outcome (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina) with sitagliptin was found to be noninferior to placebo. In addition, the rate of hospitalization for heart failure did not differ between the two groups (Green 2015; McGuire 2016). The American Diabetes Association suggests DPP-4 inhibitors (except saxagliptin) may be considered in patients with heart failure (ADA 2023).

• Hepatic impairment: Ertugliflozin is not recommended for use in severe hepatic impairment (has not been studied).

• Renal impairment: Glycemic efficacy of ertugliflozin may be decreased in renal impairment. Assess renal function prior to initiation and periodically during treatment. Use is not recommended when eGFR is 30 to <45 mL/minute/1.73 m² prior to initiation or if persistently within this range during therapy and is contraindicated in patients with an eGFR <30 mL/minute/1.73 m², end-stage renal disease, or maintained on dialysis.

Special populations:

• Older adult: Older adults may be predisposed to symptoms related to intravascular volume depletion (eg, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, syncope, and dehydration) and renal impairment or failure.

Other warnings/precautions:

• Appropriate use: Not indicated for use in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or for glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

• Hospitalized patients: Use of SGLT2 inhibitors is not routinely recommended for glycemic control in hospitalized patients (ADA 2023).

• Surgical procedures: Consider temporary discontinuation of ertugliflozin-containing products ≥4 days prior to surgery; ensure risk factors for ketoacidosis are resolved prior to reinitiating therapy.