1. 81. Effectiveness of Histrelin Implants for Puberty Suppression in Transgender Youth: A Retrospective Chart Review.
- Author
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Tulchinskaya, Viktoriya, Kanj, Rula V., and Lu, Emery
- Subjects
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TRANSGENDER youth , *PUBERTY , *PRECOCIOUS puberty , *GENDER identity , *PEARSON correlation (Statistics) - Abstract
For the 300,000 youth in the US who identify as transgender or non-binary, medications that suppress endogenous puberty ("puberty blockers") prevent irreversible, undesired physical changes and allow time to explore gender identity. The histrelin subdermal implant is FDA-approved for treatment of precocious puberty for 1 year. These implants are used off-label in transgender youth, and the effective duration of treatment has not been studied. We sought to evaluate the duration and effectiveness of histrelin implants for puberty suppression among transgender youth at our institution. Retrospective review of all transgender patients who received histrelin implants for puberty suppression at an academic pediatric hospital from 2013 to 2022. Data collected included demographics, duration of implant, bone age X-ray, serum gonadotropins, initiation of gender-affirming hormonal treatment (GAHT). The effectiveness of histrelin was deemed "concluded" upon initiation of GAHT to avoid confounding effects. T-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were performed using MS Excel. IRB approval was obtained through the institution of study. Charts of 48 patients were reviewed. Twenty patients were assigned female at birth (AFAB); 28 patients were assigned male at birth (AMAB). Mean age at histrelin insertion was 11.8 years (range 9.4 – 13.9). Five patients received a second implant, and one received a third prior to initiation of GAHT. Mean duration of the implant was 641 days (range 264-1310, standard deviation of 251). Duration of the implant was not statistically different among AMAB and AFAB patients (p = 0.07). The Pearson correlation coefficient for the age at initiation of implant compared to the duration of implant was -0.38 with a p-value of 0.003, indicating a statistically significant, moderately strong correlation: younger patients correlated with longer duration of implant use. All patients had FSH values < 2 +/-1 mIU/mL following implant insertion, indicating suppression. Clinical documentation also indicated that the degree of puberty suppression after the first year of implant use was satisfactory to patients and families. This review demonstrates that the histrelin implant provides effective puberty suppression for transgender youth, with a mean duration of effectiveness of 641 days. Although prospective studies are necessary, our data suggests that histrelin implants may be exchanged less frequently than the FDA-approved 1-year mark, providing convenience to patients and reducing costs. Given the barriers to healthcare access faced by many transgender youth, the use of puberty blockers with a longer effective duration may be a highly favorable option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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