New Study Finds No Increased Risk Of Heart And Brain Infarctions For Transgender Women

Contrary to erstwhile research, transgender women who usage nan hormone oestradiol for their modulation do not person an accrued consequence of bosom onslaught and changeable compared to men successful nan wide Dutch population. This is shown by a large-scale study from Amsterdam UMC, pinch information from much than 4,000 transgender individuals, published coming successful nan European Heart Journal. The researchers fishy that nan hormone curen transgender women person has a protective effect connected nan bosom and humor vessels.

In transgender people, nan activity assigned astatine commencement does not lucifer their knowledgeable gender identity. Many of them truthful take hormone curen to create beingness characteristics that amended align pinch their gender identity, specified arsenic bosom maturation aliases a little voice. For transgender women, hormone curen consists of nan female hormone estradiol, often successful operation pinch a testosterone blocker. For transgender men, it is nan antheral hormone testosterone.

In transgender women, but besides successful women from nan wide population, estradiol appears to person a protective effect connected nan bosom and humor vessels.

Earlier studies suggested a higher consequence of bosom onslaught and changeable for transgender women compared to group pinch nan aforesaid commencement sex, that is, men from nan wide population. We did not really understand this. Now, however, we find nary accrued consequence of bosom and encephalon infarctions for transgender women who usage estradiol. These findings fresh good pinch what we cognize astir nan presumed protective effects of estradiol connected nan bosom and humor vessels. With this research, we person solved a paradox that has occupied america for a agelong time."

Martin den Heijer, professor of endocrinology, Amsterdam UMC

Previous studies connected cardiovascular illness successful transgender group were often small-scale and constricted to short periods, which could explicate nan earlier contradictory investigation results. The researchers from Amsterdam UMC now analyzed information from much than 4,000 transgender individuals and compared this pinch information from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), which collects wellness information from nan full Dutch population. This makes it nan largest study successful this section to date.

Factors different than hormone use

Transgender men who usage testosterone do person an accrued consequence of bosom onslaught and stroke, compared to women from nan wide Dutch population. That is successful statement pinch erstwhile studies. Mees van Zijverden, physician-researcher astatine Amsterdam UMC: "We cognize that testosterone usage successful transgender men tin lead to somewhat higher humor unit and poorer cholesterin levels, which increases nan consequence of cardiovascular disease."

Nevertheless, these changes do not look to beryllium capable to explicate nan summation successful risk. The researchers deliberation that factors different than hormone usage astir apt besides play a domiciled successful nan accrued consequence of cardiovascular illness successful transgender men. "That is why we besides looked astatine manner and socio-economic factors successful nan study, specified arsenic acquisition level, employment history and income. However, these factors were recovered to explicate only a mini portion of nan accrued risk," says van Zijverden. More investigation is truthful needed into nan nonstop causes of nan accrued consequence successful transgender men.

"If we person a amended knowing of nan factors that play a role, we tin amended attraction for transgender people. The number of transgender group who usage hormones is increasing worldwide. This group is besides getting older. This intends that cardiovascular illness will go an progressively important constituent of attraction successful nan future," adds van Zijverden

For now, according to nan researchers, it is important that transgender men and healthcare providers are alert of nan accrued consequence of cardiovascular disease, truthful that attraction is paid to maintaining a patient lifestyle. It is besides important that consequence factors, specified arsenic precocious humor unit aliases cholesterol, are monitored successful transgender men. Of course, this remains important for transgender women arsenic well.