Increased arterial stiffness in female-to-male transsexuals treated with androgen

  1. Yayoi Emi1,2,
  2. Miwa Adachi2,3,
  3. Aiko Sasaki2,3,
  4. Yoshio Nakamura3,4,
  5. Mikiya Nakatsuka1,2,*

Article first published online: 16 SEP 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2008.00857.x

Issue

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research

Volume 34, Issue 5, pages 890–897, October 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Emi, Y., Adachi, M., Sasaki, A., Nakamura, Y. and Nakatsuka, M. (2008), Increased arterial stiffness in female-to-male transsexuals treated with androgen. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 34: 890–897. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2008.00857.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, and

  2. 2

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Hospital, and

  3. 3

    Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, and

  4. 4

    Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan

*Dr Mikiya Nakatsuka, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata, Okayama-City, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. Email: mikiya@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 SEP 2008
  2. Article first published online: 16 SEP 2008
  3. Received: November 4 2007.Accepted: December 28 2007.

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Keywords:

  • androgen;
  • arterial stiffness;
  • plethysmography;
  • pulse wave velocity;
  • transsexuals

Abstract

Aim:  Female-to-male (FTM) transsexuals are treated with long-term and high-dose androgen. Although androgen is known to affect the cardiovascular system, vascular function in FTM transsexuals has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the arterial stiffness in FTM transsexuals treated with androgen.

Methods:  We evaluated the arterial stiffness in 111 FTM transsexuals (63 untreated FTM transsexuals and 48 FTM transsexuals treated with androgen) using a volume-plethysmographic apparatus equipped with a multi-element applanation tonometry sensor.

Results:  There were no significant differences in age, body mass index and heart rate between the untreated FTM transsexuals and those treated with androgen. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures in FTM transsexuals treated with androgen were significantly higher than those in untreated FTM transsexuals. The level of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in FTM transsexuals treated with androgen (1202.8 ± 138.2 cm/s) was significantly higher than that in untreated FTM transsexuals (1080.2 ± 113.7 cm/s) while there was no significant difference in the carotid augmentation index between untreated FTM transsexuals and those treated with androgen.

Conclusions:  Long-term and high-dose administration of androgen is likely to cause increased arterial stiffness in FTM transsexuals. To prevent atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events, a periodic checkup and pharmacological therapies for hypertension should be tailored on an individual basis.

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