Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39585765›Full record

ArticleEndocrine connections2025

Gender-affirming hormone therapy: effects on cardiovascular risk and vascular function.

Kirsty A McGinley, Angela K Lucas-Herald, Paul Connelly, Christian Delles

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Endocrine connections, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Cardiovascular disease prevention in sexual minorities, A fellow's voice.American journal of preventive cardiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Kirsty A McGinleyK A McGinley, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID 0009-0003-5689-4808
Angela K Lucas-HeraldA K Lucas-Herald, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2662-1684
Paul ConnellyP Connelly, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Christian DellesC Delles, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2238-2612

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is used in individuals with gender identity dysphoria to align an individual's secondary sexual characteristics with their affirmed gender. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to explore the mechanisms regarding the effects of GAHT on the vasculature.

methodsA literature search using PUBMED, Embase, Scopus and Lilacs was performed using search terms for GAHT, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and transgender. Studies were screened by two independent reviewers. Comparison to a cohort of transgender individuals naïve or prior to GAHT or a cisgender population was required. Quality assessment was done using the relevant Critical Skills Appraisal Programme checklists.

resultsOut of 2,564 potentially eligible studies, 69 studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies provided evidence of beneficial changes in CVD risk profile including reduced haemoglobin and pro-inflammatory markers, and atheroprotective changes in lipids in transgender women. In transgender men there was evidence of negative changes in CVD risk profile including atherogenic changes in lipids and increased haemoglobin, arterial stiffness, and pro-inflammatory markers.

conclusionsThere is a paucity of research across non-traditional measures of CVD risk which in combination with heterogeneous study design, loss of follow-up, low sample sizes and lack of diversity in age and ethnicity requires the results to be interpreted with caution. More evidence is required to elucidate the mechanisms behind the increased risk of CVD in the transgender population and determine if GAHT is a contributing factor.

Identifiers

PMID39585765
PMCPMC11728916

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.