Fracture Risk in Trans Women and Trans Men Using Long-Term Gender-Affirming Hormonal Treatment: A Nationwide Cohort Study
- PMID:31487065
- PMCID: PMC7003754
- DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.3862
Fracture Risk in Trans Women and Trans Men Using Long-Term Gender-Affirming Hormonal Treatment: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Abstract
Concerns about bone health in transgender people using gender-affirming hormonal treatment (HT) exist, but the fracture risk is not known. In this nationwide cohort study, we aimed to compare the fracture incidence in transgender people using long-term HT with an age-matched reference population. All adult transgender people who started HT before 2016 at our gender-identity clinic were included and were linked to a random population-based sample of 5 age-matched reference men and 5 age-matched reference women per person. Fracture incidence was determined using diagnoses from visits to hospital emergency rooms nationwide between 2013 and 2015. A total of 1089 trans women aged <50 years (mean 38 ± 9 years) and 934 trans women aged ≥50 years (mean 60 ± 8 years) using HT for median 8 (interquartile range [IQR] 3-16) and 19 (IQR 11-29) years, respectively, were included. A total of 2.4% of the trans women aged <50 years had a fracture, whereas 3.0% of the age-matched reference men (odds ratio [OR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-1.19) and 1.6% of the age-matched reference women (OR = 1.49, 95% CI 0.96-2.32) experienced a fracture. In trans women aged ≥50 years, 4.4% experienced a fracture compared with 2.4% of the age-matched reference men (OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.32-2.74) and 4.2% of the age-matched reference women (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.75-1.49). A total of 1036 trans men (40 ± 14 years) using HT for median 9 (IQR 2-22) years were included. Fractures occurred in 1.7% of the trans men, 3.0% of the age-matched reference men (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.35-0.94), and 2.2% of the age-matched reference women (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.48-1.30). In conclusion, fracture risk was higher in older trans women compared with age-matched reference men. In young trans women, fracture risk tended to be increased compared with age-matched reference women. Fracture risk was not increased in young trans men. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Keywords: BONE; FRACTURES; GENDER-AFFIRMING HORMONAL TREATMENT; OSTEOPOROSIS; TRANSGENDER.
© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Figures


References
- de Blok CJM, Klaver M, Wiepjes CM, et al. Breast development in transwomen after 1 year of cross‐sex hormone therapy: results of a prospective multicenter study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;103(2):532–8. - PubMed
- Klaver M, de Blok CJM, Wiepjes CM, et al. Changes in regional body fat, lean body mass and body shape in trans persons using cross‐sex hormonal therapy: results from a multicenter prospective study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2018;178(2):165–73. - PubMed
- Bultynck C, Pas C, Defreyne J, Cosyns M, den Heijer M, T'Sjoen G. Self‐perception of voice in transgender persons during cross‐sex hormone therapy. Laryngoscope. 2017;127(12):2796–804. - PubMed
- Wierckx K, Van Caenegem E, Schreiner T, et al. Cross‐sex hormone therapy in trans persons is safe and effective at short‐time follow‐up: results from the European network for the investigation of gender incongruence. J Sex Med. 2014;11(8):1999–2011. - PubMed
- Venken K, De Gendt K, Boonen S, et al. Relative impact of androgen and estrogen receptor activation in the effects of androgens on trabecular and cortical bone in growing male mice: a study in the androgen receptor knockout mouse model. J Bone Miner Res. 2006;21(4):576–85. - PubMed
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
