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Elsevier, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2(15), p. 251-260, 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.12.009

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Early Hormonal Treatment Affects Body Composition and Body Shape in Young Transgender Adolescents

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

Abstract Background Transgender adolescents aspiring to have the body characteristics of the affirmed sex can receive hormonal treatment. However, it is unknown how body shape and composition develop during treatment and whether transgender persons obtain the desired body phenotype. Aim To examine the change in body shape and composition from the start of treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) until 22 years of age and to compare these measurements at 22 years with those of age-matched peers. Methods 71 transwomen (birth-assigned boys) and 121 transmen (birth-assigned girls) who started treatment from 1998 through 2014 were included in this retrospective study. GnRHa treatment was started and cross-sex hormonal treatment was added at 16 years of age. Anthropometric and whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry data were retrieved from medical records. Linear mixed model regression was performed to examine changes over time. SD scores (SDS) were calculated to compare body shape and composition with those of age-matched peers. Outcomes Change in waist-hip ratio (WHR), total body fat (TBF), and total lean body mass (LBM) during hormonal treatment. SDS of measures of body shape and composition compared with age-matched peers at 22 years of age. Results In transwomen, TBF increased (+10%, 95% CI = 7–11) while total LBM (−10%, 95% CI = −11 to −7) and WHR (−0.04, 95% CI = −0.05 to −0.02) decreased. Compared with ciswomen, SDS at 22 years of age were +0.3 (95% CI = 0.0–0.5) for WHR, and 0.0 (95% CI = −0.2 to 0.3) for TBF. Compared with cismen, SDS were −1.0 (95% CI = −1.3 to −0.7) for WHR, and +2.2 (95% CI = 2.2–2.4) for TBF. In transmen, TBF decreased (−3%, 95% CI = −4 to −1), while LBM (+3%, 95% CI = 1–4) and WHR (+0.03, 95% CI = 0.01–0.04) increased. Compared with ciswomen, SDS at 22 years of age were +0.6 (95% CI = 0.4–0.8) for WHR, and −1.1 (95% CI = −1.4 to −0.9) for TBF. Compared with cismen, SDS were −0.5 (95% CI = −0.8 to −0.3) for WHR, and +1.8 (95% CI = 1.6–1.9) for TBF. Clinical Implications Knowing body shape and composition outcomes at 22 years of age will help care providers in counseling transgender youth on expectations of attaining the desired body phenotype. Strengths and Limitations This study presents the largest group of transgender adults to date who started treatment in their teens. Despite missing data, selection bias was not found. Conclusions During treatment, WHR and body composition changed toward the affirmed sex. At 22 years of age, transwomen compared better to age-matched ciswomen than to cismen, whereas transmen were between reference values for ciswomen and cismen.