Effect of CIMicifuga racemosa on metaBOLIC parameters in women with menopausal symptoms – a retrospective cohort study (CIMBOLIC)

Introduction:

Retrospective monocenter cohort study to compare the impact of cimicifuga racemosa (CR, Ze450) to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on body weight and metabolic parameters in symptomatic menopausal women.

Material and methods:

Women above age 40 with first consultation 2009 – 2016 were screened. Women treated with HRT or CR and having at least one follow-up were included. Endpoints were body weight, metabolic serum parameters (lipids, glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR) and menopausal symptoms (Menopause Rating Scale (MRS)-II). Ethic committee No 2016 – 01179. Statistical analysis by uni-/multivariate linear mixed-effects regression assuming a linear time effect.

Results:

Of 769 women screened 174 women were eligible for analysis (CR: n = 32, HRT: n = 142). Baseline characteristics (age, BMI, fasting lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, total MRS-II score) did not differ between groups. Median follow-up time 12 months. In both groups, mean change per year was not significant for body weight and metabolic parameters. With HRT, total MRS-II significantly improved (-0.99 [95% CI -1.42, -0.55] per year, p < 0.0001) as well as the vegetative (p = 0.022), psychological (p < 0.0001) and urogenital (p = 0.001) MRS-II subscores. With CR, vegetative and urogenital MRS-II subscores significantly improved (-0.81 [95% CI -1.57, -0.04], p = 0.039 and -0.64 [95% CI -1.26, -0.01], p = 0.045). Total MRS-II had the same trend. Intergroup comparisons did not reveal significant differences for any endpoint or when adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion:

In contrast to untreated menopausal women, body weight and metabolic parameters did not change in menopausal women treated with HRT or CR. Both, HRT and CR significantly improved menopausal symptoms.