Emerging hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms

Oral lasofoxifene's effects on moderate to severe vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: two phase 3, randomized, controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether lasofoxifene improves vaginal signs/symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

METHODS

Two identical, phase 3 trials randomized postmenopausal women with moderate to severe vaginal symptoms to oral lasofoxifene 0.25 or 0.5 mg/d, or placebo, for 12 week. Changes from baseline to week 12 in most bothersome symptom, vaginal pH, and percentages of vaginal parabasal and superficial cells were evaluated. These coprimary endpoints were analyzed using analysis of covariance, except superficial cells, which were analyzed by the nonparametric, rank-based Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

The two studies enrolled 444 and 445 women (mean age, ~60 y), respectively. Coprimary endpoints at week 12 improved with lasofoxifene 0.25 and 0.5 mg/d greater than with placebo ( P < 0.0125 for all). Study 1: most bothersome symptom (least square mean difference from placebo: -0.4 and -0.5 for 0.25 and 0.5 mg/d, respectively), vaginal pH (-0.65, -0.58), and vaginal superficial (5.2%, 5.4%), and parabasal (-39.9%, -34.9%) cells; study 2: most bothersome symptom (-0.4, -0.5), vaginal pH (-0.57, -0.67), and vaginal superficial (3.5%, 2.2%) and parabasal (-34.1%, -33.5%) cells. Some improvements occurred as early as week 2. Most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate and hot flushes were most frequently reported (lasofoxifene vs placebo: 13%-23% vs 9%-11%). Serious adverse events were infrequent and no deaths occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

In two phase 3 trials, oral lasofoxifene 0.25 and 0.5 mg/d provided significant and clinically meaningful improvements in vaginal signs/symptoms with a favorable safety profile, suggesting beneficial effects of lasofoxifene on genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

Effect of Hysteroscopic Polypectomy Combined with Mirena Placement on Postoperative Adverse Reactions and Recurrence Rate of Endometrial Polyps: Based on a Large-Sample, Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective. To investigate the effect of hysteroscopy surgery combined with Mirena on postoperative adverse reactions and recurrence rate of endometrial polyps (EP). Methods. A total of 312 patients who underwent hysteroscopic polypectomy of EP in our hospital from June 2017 to November 2020 were enrolled retrospectively. Among them, 42 patients did not take any treatment after the operation (control group), 156 patients were treated with levonorgestrel intrauterine birth control system (Mirena group), and 114 patients were treated with oral spironolone ethinylestradiol tablets (oral group). The clinical data of 312 patients were recorded and followed up regularly. All patients were followed up through an outpatient clinic or telephone to 12 months after the operation. The patients’ age, disease course, number of pregnancies, clinical manifestations, endometrial thickness before the operation, duration of operation, amount of bleeding during the operation, and number and size of polyps were analyzed. The recurrence and postoperative side effects of EP in the three groups were followed up within 12 months after the operation. Results. There was no significant difference in endometrial thickness among the three groups before treatment ( $P>0.05$ ). After 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months of treatment, the endometrial thickness of the three groups decreased, while the decrease in the Mirena group and the oral group was better compared to the control ( $P<0.05$ ). The decrease in the Mirena group was better than that in the oral group ( $P<0.05$ ). There was no significant difference in hemoglobin levels among the three groups before treatment ( $P>0.05$ ). After 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment, the hemoglobin levels of the three groups increased to varying degrees, while the levels of the Mirena group and oral group were better compared to the control ( $P<0.05$ ). Three months after the operation, the improvement of clinical symptoms was similar in the three groups, and there was no significant difference among the three groups ( $P>0.05$ ). At 6 and 12 months after the operation, the improvement of clinical symptoms in the oral group and Mirena group was better compared to the control group ( $P<0.05$ ), but there was no significant difference between the oral group and Mirena group ( $P>0.05$ ). After the operation, some patients had complications such as lower abdominal pain, breast distension pain, irregular vaginal bleeding, and abnormal liver function. There was no significant difference in the number of complications among the three groups ( $P>0.05$ ). During the follow-up to 12 months after the operation, the recurrence rate in the oral group and Mirena group was lower compared to the control ( $P<0.05$ ), and the recurrence rate in the Mirena group was lower than that in the oral group ( $P<0.05$ ). Conclusion. Placing Mirena immediately after hysteroscopic polypectomy of EP can reduce the recurrence rate of endometrial polyps, increase the level of hemoglobin, and reduce the thickness of the endometrium, which can be employed and popularized according to the condition of patients in clinical work.

Clinical investigation of RAD1901, a novel estrogen receptor ligand, for the treatment of postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms: a phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging, proof-of-concept trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of RAD1901, an oral estrogen receptor ligand, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms of menopause.

METHODS

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging, proof-of-concept trial. Postmenopausal women with a minimum of 7 moderate-to-severe, diary-reported hot flashes per day, or 50 per week, were randomized to one of five blinded dose groups (0 [placebo], 10, 25, 50, or 100 mg RAD1901 daily for 28 d). Efficacy endpoints included frequency and severity of hot flashes over 4 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

One hundred participants were randomized across the five treatment regimens. The frequency of moderate-to-severe hot flashes decreased in all groups over the treatment period (mean percent change from baseline at 4 wk, -54.1%, -77.2%, -51.8%, -53.8%, and -67.0% for placebo, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg groups). The response in the 10 mg group was significantly different from placebo at 4 weeks (P = 0.024). No other dose group was significantly different from placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in severity of hot flashes between placebo and any dose group. Treatment was well tolerated; most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate in severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily treatment with 10 mg RAD1901 over 4 weeks resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of moderate-to-severe hot flashes compared with placebo, with an acceptable safety profile. Further clinical trials are warranted to investigate RAD1901's utility as a potential treatment for vasomotor symptoms.

Maintaining postreproductive health: A care pathway from the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS)

This position statement from the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) provides a care pathway for the maintenance of women's health during and after the menopause. It is designed for use by all those involved in women's health. It covers assessment, screening for diseases in later life, treatment and follow-up. Strategies need to be optimised to maintain postreproductive health, in part because of increased longevity. They encompass optimising diet and lifestyle, menopausal hormone therapy and non-estrogen-based treatment options for climacteric symptoms and skeletal conservation, personalised to individual needs.

Update on menopausal hormone therapy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Menopause management has undergone an eventful journey over the past decade; some dogmas got refuted, some new hypotheses took life, and the review is timely and relevant to the practice of clinical medicine in 2015.

RECENT FINDINGS

The field stepped out of an era of absolutes into times of patient centeredness and an individualized perspective.

SUMMARY

The onus now is to tailor management to address patient's needs while keeping in perspective individualized symptom burden and risks that may be unique to each aging woman.