Grant: CIHR-ICRH Travel Awards - General pool

Gender-affirming testosterone therapy (GATT) is commonly used by transmasculine individuals (assigned female at birth who identify as men) to reach serum testosterone levels in alignment with their gender identity. Transmasculine individuals are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease compared to their cisgender counterparts (sex assigned at birth aligns with gender identity). However, how testosterone affects cardiovascular health in the transmasculine population is unclear, highlighting an important knowledge gap. Therefore, we propose an exploratory cross-sectional study that aims to measure the association between serum testosterone levels and markers of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and arterial stiffness, among transmasculine individuals using GATT. Our research will provide key information for shared decision-making between patients and their care-providers.