Bone health appears normal in transgender youth on hormone therapy

Bone mineral density (BMD) is only slightly below the normal average among transgender youth undergoing gender-affirming hormone therapy, according to a study by researchers at the University of Colorado in Aurora. A team of pediatricians analyzed results from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans in a group of transgender youth who participated in a trial at Children's Hospital Colorado between 2016 and 2018 to evaluate insulin sensitivity and body composition. The finding may be reassuring for youths undergoing gender-affirming care, noted lead author and medical student Micaela Roy. “Total body BMD Z-scores ascertained by [DEXA] were slightly below average for female and male norms, but still in the normal range, including for those who were on GnRHa monotherapy and normal for those on [gender-affirming hormone therapy],” the group reported. The study was published in the May issue of the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Some transgender youth are treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) followed by testosterone or estradiol, with studies suggesting these treatments may impact BMD, the authors explained. However, there are limited studies examining the effect of GnRHa treatment duration on BMD, or whether there are differences between individuals who did or did not receive GnRHa treatment before starting gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), they noted. To address current gaps in knowledge, the researchers performed an analysis to as...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Digital X-Ray Source Type: news