Bone Abstracts

Objectives: Gender Dysphoria (GD) occurs when a person’s gender identity differs from their biological sex. GID presenting in childhood can dissipate at puberty. If it persists, physical interventions commence with the use of a GnRH analogues (GnRHa) for one year followed by cross sex hormones.

Methods: Adolescents with a diagnosis of GD were reviewed in a national GD clinic at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK. Standardised medical assessments included clinical assessment of pubertal stage, hormone profile, bone biochemistry and bone density.

Results: Seventy seven adolescents who had been on GnRH analogues for a mean age of 1.2 years were reviewed. 41 were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and 36 assigned male at birth (AMAB). There was a reduction spine and total body density in both groups. In AFAB the spine density reduced from −0.10 SDS to −0.74 SDS, in AMAB it reduced from −0.67 SDS to −1.35 SDS. There was also a significant reduction in total body density values in AMAB, whereas AFAB had a downward trend. The BMI was unchanged in both sexes, but there was an increase in fat mass and reduction in muscle mass.

Conclusions: Short term use of GnRHa in late puberty caused a reduction in spine and total body density, increase in fat mass and reduction in muscle mass in adolescents and teenagers presenting to a national gender identity service.

Disclosure: The authors declared no competing interests.