OBJECTIVE: Increases in adiposity and adverse changes in adipose distribution commonly occur in women during midlife and with the onset of menopause. This post hoc analysis assessed body weight changes with tirzepatide by reproductive stage.
METHODS: Women participants from SURMOUNT-1, -3, and -4 randomized to tirzepatide (15 mg or maximum tolerated dose) or placebo were retrospectively categorized as being in the pre-, peri-, or post-menopause stages. Body weight and waist circumference changes, the proportion of participants achieving body weight-reduction thresholds, and waist to height ratio (WHtR) category shift among those with baseline BMI < 35 kg/mwere assessed at end of study treatment.
RESULTS: In SURMOUNT-1, significantly greater body weight reductions from baseline were observed with tirzepatide versus placebo in women in the premenopause (26% vs. 2%), perimenopause (23% vs. 3%), and postmenopause stages (23% vs. 3%; p < 0.001). Greater waist circumference reductions were also observed with tirzepatide across the subgroups (22 vs. 4 cm, 20 vs. 5 cm, and 20 vs. 4 cm, respectively; p < 0.001). Across the reproductive stage subgroups, 97% to 98% of participants achieved body weight reductions that were ≥5% with tirzepatide versus 29% to 33% with placebo. Furthermore, 30% to 52% of women among the reproductive stage subgroups who had baseline BMI < 35 kg/mreached WHtR ≤ 0.49 (low central adiposity) with tirzepatide. Similar results were observed in SURMOUNT-3 and -4.
CONCLUSIONS: In this post hoc analysis, tirzepatide treatment was associated with significant body weight, waist circumference, and WHtR reductions versus placebo in women living with obesity or overweight and without type 2 diabetes, irrespective of reproductive stage.