Taking place at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, The Menopause Society (formerly North American Menopause Society) is holding its 2024 annual meeting, which spans five days. Attendees are finding it filled with the latest research on understanding and treating menopausal symptoms.

This year’s meeting theme, Humanizing Artificial Intelligence to Improve Midlife Women’s Health, includes actionable advice on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical practice as well as updates on how AI relates to menopause and midlife women’s health and how future applications may be able to personalize hormone replacement therapy.

Click the link above to find out more about the highlights and programs covered during this years Menopause Society Annual Meeting.

The Menopause Society Annual Meeting is being held Sept. 10 to 14, 2024, in Chicago, and more than 1,300 health care professionals are expected to attend.

The theme of this year’s meeting is Humanizing Artificial Intelligence to Improve Midlife Women’s Health. The program offers updates on artificial intelligence (AI) and the most relevant issues tied to menopause and midlife women’s health, including breast cancer, perimenopause, brain health, hair and skin, bone health, healthy weight, menopause in the workplace, sexuality, substance abuse, and sleep, among other topics.

Click the link above to find out more about the highlights and programs covered during this years Menopause Society Annual Meeting.

Vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flushes, affect a significant proportion of women during and after menopause. These symptoms result from hormonal changes that alter the hypothalamic thermoneutral zone, making women more sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonists represent a novel class of non-hormonal treatments designed to target specific pathways involved in regulating body temperature.

Scientific Insights:

1. Mechanism of Action: NK3 receptor antagonists act on the neurokinin 3 receptors within the central KNDy (kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin) neuronal network in the hypothalamus. This network is critical for maintaining body temperature and is disrupted in menopausal women, leading to VMS.
2. Clinical Efficacy: Recent phase 3 trials have demonstrated that NK3 receptor antagonists significantly reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes compared to placebo. Studies have reported reductions in hot flush frequency by approximately 56% to 61% with NK3 receptor antagonists, while improvements in VMS severity have been sustained throughout the treatment period.
3. Comparison with Traditional Non-Hormonal Treatments: Traditional non-hormonal treatments for VMS, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, offer variable efficacy and are associated with side effects like nausea and insomnia. NK3 receptor antagonists provide a targeted approach with efficacy comparable to or better than SSRIs/SNRIs and potentially fewer side effects.
4. Future Research Directions: Ongoing research is needed to explore the long-term safety and efficacy of NK3 receptor antagonists, especially in populations with contraindications to hormone therapy. Additionally, studies will need to evaluate the impact of these drugs on other health outcomes, such as bone health and cardiovascular events.

How do emerging neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonists compare to traditional non-hormonal treatments for managing moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause?