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Kidney Week

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Abstract: PO2241

Kidney Disease Prevalence in Transgender Individuals

Session Information

Category: Women’s Health and Kidney Diseases

  • 2000 Women’s Health and Kidney Diseases

Authors

  • Eckenrode, Hannah, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
  • Gutierrez, Orlando M., The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
  • Osis, Gunars, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
  • Agarwal, Anupam, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
  • Curtis, Lisa M., The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Background

Kidney disease in the transgender population is understudied which precludes the ability to derive appropriate care guidelines for promoting kidney health. The term transgender includes individuals for whom their assigned sex at birth doesn’t align with their gender identity. Transgender individuals often choose gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) to achieve greater alignment. The impact of this necessary treatment on their kidney health has not been studied.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study of 360 transgender individuals, using medical records from 2009-2019. Diagnosis codes were used to identify individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and comparisons were performed between the groups.

Results

The mean age of the population was 42 (SEM 0.91) and 40% were of black race. Black individuals made up a greater proportion of the transfeminine population who received GAHT but a lower proportion of transmasculine individuals who received GAHT. The transfeminine population receiving GAHT had a higher proportion of non-white/non-black populations than in the overall transfeminine population. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of AKI in transfeminine individuals who received GAHT as compared to transfeminine individuals who did not receive exogenous GAHT; no such difference was found with CKD. In the transmasculine population, there was no statistically significant association of exposure to GAHT with prevalence of AKI or CKD. Transfeminine individuals who received GAHT showed a statistically lower prevalence of CKD than transmasculine individuals.

Conclusion

This single-center study of prevalence of kidney disease in the transgender patients demonstrates significant differences in kidney disease conditions in those who did vs. did not use GAHT. These studies highlight the need for further research to define the health and disease manifestations seen in the transgender population.

Funding

  • NIDDK Support