Hopp til hovedinnhold
Logo som leder til forsiden

Gender affirming hormone therapy for individuals with gender dysphoria aged <26 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Forfatter(e)
Miroshnychenko, A., Ibrahim, S., Roldan, Y., Kulatunga-Moruzi, C., Montante, S., Couban, R., Guyatt, G., Brignardello-Petersen, R.
År
2025
DOI
10.1136/archdischild-2024-327921
Tidsskrift
Archives of Disease in Childhood
Volum
12
Sider
12
Kategori(er)
Depresjon og nedstemthet (inkl. både vansker og lidelse) Selvskading/selvmord LHBT+
Tiltakstype(r)
Abstract

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed and summarised the certainty of the evidence about the effects of gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) in individuals with gender dysphoria (GD).

METHODS

We searched Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, Social Sciences Abstracts, LGBTQ+ Source and Sociological Abstracts from inception to September 2023. We included studies comparing GAHT with no GAHT in individuals aged <26 years with GD. Outcomes of interest included psychological and physical effects. Pairs of reviewers independently screened articles, abstracted data and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. We performed meta-analyses and assessed the certainty of the evidence using the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

We included 24 studies. Comparative observational studies (n=9) provided mostly very low certainty evidence regarding GD, global function and depression. One comparative observational study reported that the odds of depression may be lower (OR 0.73 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.88), n (number of studies)=1, low certainty) in individuals who received GAHT compared with those who did not. Before-after studies (n=13) provided very low certainty evidence about GD, global function, depression and bone mineral density. Case series studies (n=2) provided high certainty evidence that the proportion of individuals with cardiovascular events 7-109 months after receiving GAHT was 0.04 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.05, n=1, high certainty).

CONCLUSION

There is considerable uncertainty about the effects of GAHT and we cannot exclude the possibility of benefit or harm. Methodologically rigorous prospective studies are needed to produce higher certainty evidence.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42023452171.