Background:
Cross-sex hormone therapy (CSHT) is prescribed to transition secondary sexual characteristics among individuals undergoing male-to-female (MtF) transitions (age range 18-41, mean age=24). Limited data exist to inform the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profile associated with CSHT. We investigated the relationship between CSHT and cardiovascular risk factors in MtF transgender persons and hypothesize that CSHT will be associated with adverse CVD risk factor profiles.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1
st
, 2018 to November 30
th
, 2018 in 100 MtF transgender people not receiving CSHT vs. 100 receiving CSHT. CSHT use was defined by self-report use of up to 23 medications. Serum testosterone and 17-beta estradiol were assessed to validate CSHT use. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured. Lipid profiles, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin I and pro b-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) were assessed from fasting blood. Non-invasive arterial examinations included: carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), ankle-brachial index (ABI), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Multivariable linear regression models, regressed CVD risk factors on CSHT status. Among the subgroup of CSHT users, we assessed the relationship between duration of use and CVD risk factors. Multivariable models included age, gender, education, income, drinking, smoking, exercise, and BMI.
Results:
Participant mean age was 24±0.38 years and did not differ by CSHT use. Mean±SE values of testosterone were in the CSHT vs. control group were 4.8±0.3 vs. 5.8±0.3 ng/ml, p=0.06 and 17-beta estradiol levels were 45.6±14.9 vs. 34.7±14.8, p=0.7). CIMT was modestly lower among CSHT vs. controls (0.35±0.01 vs. 0.38±0.01, p=0.09). The average duration of CSHT use was 6.65±0.522 years. Among CSHT users, for every 1-year increase in duration of CSHT use total cholesterol decreased by -2.360 ± 1.096, p=0.0341 mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol decreased by -3.076 ± 1.182, p=0.0109 mg/dL, ABI decreased by -0.006 ± 0.002, p=0.0087 while FPG increased by 2.558 ± 0.899 mg/dL, p=0.0055.
Conclusion:
Among MtF transgender persons, using CSHT was not associated with increased CVD risk factors levels.
Hormone therapy for preventing cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women