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Skeletal Health and Bone Marrow Composition Among Youth

ClinicalTrials.gov · TERMINATED, 2026

78 participants

Abstract

Children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria feel increased distress with the onset of puberty. Gender clinics treat these young adolescents by "blocking" puberty using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist medications. This has the possibility of impacting bone development as sex steroids are important to bone mass development. In this multi-site study, the investigators will examine bone marrow composition (by MRI) in 40 transgender youth and bone density and body composition before/after pubertal blockade compared to healthy participants.

Conditions: Gender Dysphoria in Children, Puberty, Bone Development.

Primary outcome: Change from Bone marrow adiposity by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from baseline compared to 24 months; Change from magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) from baseline compared to 24 months.

Enrollment: 78 participants.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a clinical trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 78 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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