K. Schlatterer et al., A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY FOR ESTIMATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CROSS-GENDER HORMONE SUBSTITUTION THERAPY ON TRANSSEXUAL PATIENTS, Archives of sexual behavior, 27(5), 1998, pp. 475-492
This follow-up study was carried out to validate the effectiveness of
cross-gender hormone therapy embedded in a multistep treatment concept
for transsexual patients. This therapy described in detail by the aut
hors elsewhere and presented briefly below provides cross-gender hormo
ne substitution to obtain an assimilation of secondary sex characteris
tics to the desired sex as quickly as possible. Personal and social ba
ckground data of 46 male-to-female (M-to-F) and 42 female-to-male (F-t
o-M) patients passing through different stages of the treatment concep
t were included. In the Endocrinological Outpatient Clinic of the Max-
Planck-lnstitute/Munich the effectiveness of cross-gender hormone repl
acement therapy as well as frequency and distribution of side effects
were examined by follow-up examination of endocrinological parameters.
Cross-gender hormones were administered either parenterally or orally
. Blood samples were collected routinely after 2 to 6 months depending
on the duration of hormone substitution and complication rate. The in
cidence of hyperprolactinemia in estrogen-treated M-to-F transsexuals
lies in the range of studies published before, whereas the number of p
atients developing galactorrhea is significantly lower in our patients
. The incidence of thromboembolic events during the time of cross-gend
er hormone treatment in our patients is negligible. Changes in hematol
ogical parameters are observed under cross-gender hormone therapy. Wit
h the cross-gender hormone regimen performed by us if is possible to g
enerate less side effects in the treatment of transsexual patients tha
n described before.