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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| University Hospital, Zürich | OTHER |
| Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Switzerland | UNKNOWN |
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The goal of this observational study is to understand the factors influencing the well-being and health of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals undergoing gender-affirming therapies in Switzerland. The study population includes TGD individuals aged 16 and older, at various stages of their medical transition, including those who have discontinued or detransitioned.
The main question is:
What are the key factors influencing the well-being and health outcomes of transgender and gender-diverse individuals undergoing gender-affirming therapies?
Researchers will compare health outcomes across different subgroups, such as those at different stages of transition or detransition, to examine the effects of gender-affirming therapies.
Participants will:
Complete electronic questionnaires assessing gender congruence, quality of life, mental health, and other outcomes.
Provide biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, stool, and skin swabs) for laboratory analysis.
Undergo clinical evaluations related to endocrinology, fertility, dermatology, and urology as part of their routine follow-up.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A: Cohort of Transgender and Gender Diverse individuals in Switzerland | Individuals who present before they start GAHT are included in group A |
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| Group B: Cohort of Transgender and Gender Diverse individuals in Switzerland | Individuals who are already on GAHT are included in group B |
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| Group C: Cohort of Transgender and Gender Diverse individuals in Switzerland | Individuals who undergo gender affirming surgery are (additionally or exclusively) included in group C |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A (start of GAHT) | Other | The study program consists of assessments at baseline (before the start of GAHT) and subsequent follow-up visits scheduled at routine intervals which are typically every three months for the first year, every six months for the second year and every twelve months thereafter. Participants' data collection includes a mix of digital and in-person methods. Demographical information, clinical and laboratory parameters such as hormone levels which are part of standard clinical care |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Gender Congruence as Assessed by Gender Congruence and Life Satisfaction Scale (GCLS) | The Gender Congruence and Life Satisfaction Scale (GCLS) is a validated outcome measure specifically developed for transgender individuals to assess distress and unhappiness with experienced gender and body, regardless of gender assigned at birth or gender identity. The scale ranges from [insert range, e.g., 0-100], with higher scores indicating greater gender congruence and life satisfaction, and lower scores reflecting greater distress and unhappiness. It is suitable for binary and nonbinary individuals seeking gender-affirming care. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
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| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Gender identity | The gender identity is assessed using a study-specific questionnaire to determine the percentage of different gender identities (e.g. binary, non-binary) and change of gender identity over time | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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The project population will consist of TGD individuals above age 16 who are diagnosed with gender incongruence and who wish medical transition or are on medical transition (at any stage of their transition, including individuals who interrupt/-ed medical transition or detransition/-ed). Recruitment for the study will initially take place at the University Hospital of Basel and the Cantonal Hospital of Luzern, with plans to expand to additional centers (e.g. University Hospital of Zurich, University Hospital of Geneva and Cantonal Hospital of St Gallen) as the study progresses. The study targets individuals at various stages of medical transition, including those initiating, continuing, or discontinuing gender-affirming therapies. Efforts will ensure inclusion of all gender identities to comprehensively address their unique healthcare needs.
| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bettina Winzeler, PD Dr. | Contact | +41 61 556 50 75 | bettina.winzeler@usb.ch | |
| Hüseyin Cihan, Dr. | Contact | hueseyin.cihan@usb.ch |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bettina Winzeler, PD Dr. | University Hospital Basel, Department of Endocrinology | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Hospital of Basel | Recruiting | Basel | 4031 | Switzerland |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D000068116 | Gender Dysphoria |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D020018 | Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
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Biobank blood sampling; 24h-Urine; Scalp hair analysis; Spermanalysis; Stool sampling
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| Group B (on-going GAHT) | Other | The study program consists of a yearly assessment as part of the long-term routine follow-up. Participants' data collection includes a mix of digital and in-person methods. Demographical information, clinical and laboratory parameters such as hormone levels which are part of standard clinical care |
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| Group C (GAS) | Other | If GAS is administered, additional assessments are performed preoperatively, and postoperatively in analogy with routine clinical visits, e.g. one week after surgery and then three, six and twelve months later (then once yearly) (e.g. type of surgery, outcome, patient' satisfaction). If participants undergo gender-affirming genital surgery, a genital swab and urine analysis (from the urine sample taken for routine testing) will additionally be performed for microbiome analyses as part of the study assessment. |
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| Difference in Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) regimens |
The reported value will be the number and percentage of participants receiving each documented GAHT regimen category at each routine assessment, stratified by self-reported gender identity. |
| Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Decision regret scale | The Decision Regret Scale is a validated tool that is used in this study to measure the regret after detransition. The scale ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater regret and lower scores reflecting less or no regret. It is widely applicable across different healthcare contexts to assess the emotional impact of decision-making. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Body image states scale | The Body Image States Scale is a validated measure that is used in this study to assess an individual's momentary body image satisfaction after detransition. The scale ranges from 0 to X, with higher scores indicating greater body image satisfaction and lower scores reflecting greater dissatisfaction. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Quality of life score | The quality of life is meassured using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire.The EQ-5D-5L is a standardized measure, assessing mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The scale provides a utility score ranging from 0 (equivalent to death) to 1 (perfect health), with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication 1.4 | To evaluate treatment satisfaction an adapted Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication 1.4 (TSQM-1.4) is used. TSQM-1.4 is a validated tool, assessing patients' satisfaction with their treatments across four domains: effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and overall satisfaction. The scale provides scores ranging from 0 to 100 for each domain, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Beck Depression Inventory-II | The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), a validated self-report measure, is used to assess depressive symptoms. The scale ranges from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating greater severity of depressive symptoms and lower scores reflecting minimal or no depression. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Detransition rate | Detransition is assessed as the percentage of individuals who interrupt or stop therapy over time. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Reasons for stopping/reversing transition | The reasons for stopping/reversing transition is assessed using a questionnaire adapted from MacKinnon et al., 2024 (21 possible reasons for stopping/reversing transition). | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Gender Minority Stress and Resilience Measure | The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience Measure (GMSR) is a validated, assessing experiences of minority stress and resilience factors specific to transgender and gender-diverse individuals. The scale includes multiple subscales with scores reflecting the levels of stress (e.g., discrimination, internalized transphobia) and resilience (e.g., community connectedness, pride). Higher stress subscale scores indicate greater experiences of minority stress, while higher resilience subscale scores reflect stronger protective factors. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Endocrine profiling | Sex hormone are profiled on GAHT and in relation to the different outcome measures | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Blood pressure | Blood pressure is taken (by unattended automated office blood pressure measurement =UAOBPM) | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Body mass index | Body weight is measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score | Dietary quality is assessed via Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scoring on a scale from 1-100, with higher score indicating healthier dietary habits. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Mediterranean Eating Pattern (MEPA) score | Dietary quality is assessed via Mediterranean Eating Pattern (MEPA) scoring on a scale from 1-100, with higher score indicating healthier dietary habits. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Lipid profile | Glucose homesostasis is assessed by measuring blood glucose, HOMA-Index, HbA1C. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Inflammation hsCRP | hsCRP concentration measured in venous blood as part of routine laboratory assessment and reported as a continuous variable | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Inflammation IL-6 | Inflammatory markers are assessed including IL-6 | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Health risk behaviors | National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) questionnaires assesses smoking, alcohol, physical activity. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Sleep quality | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which ranges from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality, with a score greater than 5 suggesting significant sleep difficulties. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Insomnia | Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is a self-assessment questionnaire ranging from 0-28, while higher score worse sleep quality | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Scalp hair cortisol concentration measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry | Cortisol concentration measured in a proximal 3-cm scalp hair segment collected from the posterior vertex region | Baseline and 12 months after initiation of GAHT |
| Urinary steroid profile | Steroid profile measured in a 24-hour urine sample to capture integrated steroid excretion over 24 hours. | Baseline and 12 months after initiation of GAHT |
| Immunological parameters cytokine levels | IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10 concentration measured in stored blood samples and reported as a continuous variable. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Immunological parameters antibody levels | Assessment of antibody levels | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Fertility Self-Assessment Responses Assessed Using a SPECTRA-Specific Questionnaire | The reported value will be the number and percentage of participants selecting each response category for prespecified fertility-related items, including fertility intentions, prior fertility preservation, interest in future fertility preservation, and fertility-related counseling needs, as assessed using a SPECTRA-specific self-assessment questionnaire. This study-specific questionnaire is not summarized as a total score. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Tucking practices | The reported value will be the number and percentage of participants who report current tucking practices on the SPECTRA questionnaire. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Sexual Desire | Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI). The scores for the two dimensions of sexual desire are summed up separately. Dyadic sexual desire: Scores will range from 0 to 62; while there is no universally established cutoff score that applies across all populations, higher scores at around 50 and upward indicate hypersexuality in the dyadic dimension. Solitary sexual desire: Scores will range from 0 to 39; while there is no universally established cutoff score that applies across all populations, higher scores at around 31 and upward indicate hypersexuality in the solitary dimension. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Semen Quality Status | The reported value will be the number and percentage of eligible participants in each predefined semen quality category at each assessment time point. Semen quality status will be derived from standard semen analysis parameters according to prespecified laboratory criteria and categorized as normal semen quality, impaired semen quality, severe impairment, azoospermia, or not classifiable due to insufficient sample quality or missing parameters. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Dermatology life quality index | Dermatology life quality index (DLQI) is calculated by adding the score of each question, resulting in a maximum of 30 and a minimum of 0. The higher the score, the more quality of life is impaired. A score higher than 10 indicates that the patient's life is being severely affected by their skin disease. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Visual analogue scale disease activity | disease activity is assessed by Visual analogue scale (VAS) | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Percentage of scalp hairs | Percentage of hairs with reduced caliber assessed using TrichoScan software in a circular 1-cm² scalp area. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Skin aging assessed by VISIA skin analysis | For the detection of skin wrinkles Visia device will be used as standardized photography | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Skin microbiome | Skin swabs from defined sites to perform 16S rRNA amplicon based sequencing of the cutaneous bacterial microbiome | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Prosthesis outcome | In transmen, prosthesis outcome is assessed including complication rates, revision rates, survival rates, patient- and partner-related satisfaction rate e.g. with validated Questionnaire Quality of Life and Sexuality with Penile Prosthesis (QoLSPP) | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Urethral Complication Status Assessed by Clinical Examination | The reported value will be the number and percentage of eligible participants in each predefined urethral complication category at each assessment time point, as assessed by clinical examination and medical record review. Categories will include no urethral complication, urethral stricture, urethral fistula, both urethral stricture and fistula, and other urethral complication. For participants with urethral stricture or fistula, the type of management will be recorded descriptively according to predefined categories, including conservative management, catheter-based management, endoscopic treatment, surgical repair, or other management. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire | Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire is a self-assessment tool to grade lower urinary tract symptoms. It ranges from 0-35, while typically a score of 0-7 indicates mild symptoms, 8-19 moderate symptoms and 20-35 severe symptoms. Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Gut microbiome | Alpha diversity, beta diversity, microbial richness and relative abundance diversity of the gut microbiome measured in stool samples and reported using a predefined diversity index. | Baseline; 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, and 240 months |
| Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne | Not yet recruiting | Lucerne | 6000 | Switzerland |
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| University Hospital of Zürich | Not yet recruiting | Zurich | 8091 | Switzerland |
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