Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-11-2026

Academic Year

2025-2026

Comments

Presented at the 2026 Scholarly Inquiry (SI) Research Project Symposium.

Abstract

Introduction: Sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are associated with an increased risk of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), negatively impacting quality of life. Most studies evaluate risk with individual SGLT2is or the class as a whole, rather than comparing risk between different SGLT2is. The objective of this study was to compare the risk of VVC across individual SGLT2is.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review to find studies examining VVC rates in women taking SGLT2is. Of 74 studies identified, four met inclusion criteria for a meta-analysis, with several others used for background. For canagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and empagliflozin, we calculated risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each dose and trial compared with control groups. Risk ratios (RRs) were then pooled for each drug to compare overall risks.

Results: Across 3,673 SGLT2i-treated women and 1,702 controls, empagliflozin demonstrated the highest and most precise relative risks, with RRs of 3.67 for 10mg (95% CI 2.53–5.31) and 4.38 for 25mg (95% CI 3.03–6.31). Canagliflozin and ertugliflozin also increased risk but data showed wide, overlapping confidence intervals. Our findings suggest potentially increased VVC risk with individual SGLT2is, although statistical overlap prevents definitive conclusions.

Conclusions: Specific SGLT2is may be associated with a higher risk of developing VVC, though definitive comparisons cannot be made. There has yet to be a large, pooled study directly comparing risk of VVC between SGLT2is. Further research should be done to investigate which SGLT2is carry the highest risk to guide prescribing in patients with risk factors.

Additional Files
Suozzi Natalie_poster.pdf (435 kB)

Language

English

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