Safwan, Nancy

ABSTRACT Objective This study assessed the impact of sex and age on weight loss outcomes in patients receiving tirzepatide in real‐world clinical practice. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with overweight or obesity who initiated tirzepatide at Mayo Clinic between June 2022 and May 2024 and completed ≥ 12 months of continuous therapy. Primary outcome was total body weight loss percentage (TBWL%) at 15 months, stratified by sex and age groups (≤ 45, 46–59, ≥ 60 years). Results Among 1039 patients (57% women; mean age 56 ± 11 years), women achieved significantly greater TBWL% than men after 15 months of treatment (15.1% vs. 10.7%, p < 0.001). Patients aged ≤ 45 years had greater weight loss than those ≥ 60 years (15.1% vs. 12.3%, p = 0.024). In multivariable analyses, greater weight loss was independently associated with female sex, absence of type 2 diabetes, no prior obesity medication use, no concomitant weight gain‐promoting medications, and higher tirzepatide dosage. Age was not an independent predictor. Conclusions Sex, but not age, predicted weight loss with tirzepatide among individuals using the medication continuously for ≥ 12 months. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating sex‐specific considerations into personalized obesity treatment strategies.

Importance and Objective: Menopause is the natural cessation of ovarian function, typically occurring at a mean age of 52 years in the United States. Vasomotor symptoms (VMS; hot flashes and night sweats) affect over 75% of midlife women and typically last 7 to 9 years, with only 54% seeking medical attention. Although hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for VMS, <4% of women currently use it, primarily due to safety concerns. There is evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective management strategy for VMS. Virtual reality (VR) has shown promise in delivering an immersive form of CBT for various medical conditions, including acute and chronic pain, sleep, and mood disorders, potentially overcoming barriers such as access and cost while improving quality of life. This narrative review aims to summarize the existing literature on VR for managing menopause symptoms. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted through PubMed and Medline databases. The search focused on keyword combinations related to VR, artificial intelligence, and menopause symptoms. Discussion and Conclusion: The search yielded one study specifically targeting symptoms related to menopause. A pilot study (n = 42) evaluating an immersive VR and artificial intelligence intervention based on CBT and mindfulness techniques for managing hot flashes in women with breast or ovarian cancer demonstrated a significant reduction in frequency of hot flashes ( P < 0.01) and improvements in sleep quality, mood, anxiety, stress, and overall quality of life. However, these women experienced hot flashes that might have been associated with their cancer diagnosis or treatment rather than relating specifically to menopause, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings to women with menopause symptoms. Although VR has shown effectiveness in delivering CBT for other conditions, there remains a significant gap in research on its specific use for menopause-related symptoms.