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Endocrine Abstracts (2018) 59 OC6.1 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.59.OC6.1

SFEBES2018 Oral Communications Neuroendocrinology and Reproduction (6 abstracts)

A controlled cross-sectional study of bone microarchitecture in transgender individuals

Jeffrey D Zajac 1, , Ingrid Bretherton 1, , Thomas McFarlane , Cassandra Spanos 1 , Mathis Grossmann 1, & Ada S Cheung 1,



Sex steroids have complex effects: testosterone predominantly regulates trabecular and estradiol, cortical bone1. Studies in transgender individuals use insensitive technology and report conflicting effects2. We hypothesized estradiol therapy will increase cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) in male-to-female (MtF) individuals and testosterone therapy will increase trabecular vBMD in female-to-male (FtM) individuals.

Aims: To vBMD in transgender individuals receiving cross-sex hormones. HRPQCT was performed in a cross-sectional study MtF and FtM individuals. Unpaired students t-test was used to compare transgender individuals with healthy age and birth-assigned sex matched controls.

Results: Tibial trabecular vBMD (P=0.011) was decreased in MtF compared to control males and cortical vBMD was decreased. Conversely, compared to female controls, FtM individuals receiving testosterone therapy had increased distal tibial trabecular vBMD (P<0.001), with increased trabecular number (P<0.001) and decreased trabecular separation (P=0.008) but no difference in cortical vBMD. Similar findings were seen at the radius.

Distal tibiaMTF (n=39) Mean ± S.D.Control male (n=57) PFTM (n=45) Control female (n=79) P
Cortical vBMD 841.7±39.4861.5±40.30.019898.6±34.4892.5±41.30.398
Trabeculae
vBMD 189.7±29.6206.5±32.20.011202.3±29.6180.5±35.2<0.001
Thickness0.088±0.0110.089±0.0150.6150.093±0.0140.086±0.0170.038
Number1.82±0.291.96±0.320.0291.84±0.251.78±0.370.369
Separation0.477±0.0880.436±0.0810.0190.462±0.0680.500±0.1140.044
Total
Average vBMD297.9±49.0326.3±42.00.003343.4±50.6308.7±48.5<0.001

Conclusion: The findings in FtM (increased trabecular vBMD) and MtF individuals (decreased vBMD) support a role for testosterone in building trabecular bone. This study did not confirm a role for estradiol in building cortical bone.

Volume 59

Society for Endocrinology BES 2018

Glasgow, UK
19 Nov 2018 - 21 Nov 2018

Society for Endocrinology 

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