Association between genital gender-affirming surgery and psychiatric comorbidities in individuals with gender incongruence

Background: Previous studies present mixed evidence on the relationship between psychiatric comorbidities and genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS) in individuals with gender incongruence (GI). Aim: This research aims to investigate the psychiatric comorbidity rates post-GGAS in the GI population-namely, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, substance abuse disorder, and suicidality. Methods: Based on the TriNetX health care database, an international database with >250 million patients, a cross-sectional study was executed comparing psychiatric comorbidity rates among cases of GI with and without GGAS. Individuals were matched for demographic and health-related variables, which included history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Outcomes: The main focus was to establish the rates and changes in psychiatric comorbidities following GGAS. Results: Among individuals with GI, the study identified 4061 with GGAS and 100 097 without. At 1 year post-GGAS, there was a significant decrease in depression (odds ratio [OR], 0.748; 95% CI, 0.672-0.833; P < .0001), anxiety (OR, 0.730; 95% CI, 0.658-0.810; P < .0001), substance use disorder (OR, 0.730; 95% CI, 0.658-0.810; P < .0001), and suicidality (OR, 0.530; 95% CI, 0.425-0.661; P < .0001), and these reductions were maintained or improved on at 5 years, including posttraumatic stress disorder (OR, 0.831; 95% CI, 0.704-0.981; P = .028). Clinical Implications: The findings indicate that GGAS may play a crucial role in diminishing psychiatric comorbidities among individuals with GI. Strengths and Limitations: This is the largest known study to evaluate the effect of GGAS on psychiatric comorbidities in the GI population, offering robust evidence. The reliance on the precision of CPT and ICD-10 codes for data extraction poses a limitation due to potential coding inaccuracies. Conclusion: The evidence suggests a significant association between GGAS and reduced psychiatric comorbidities in individuals with GI.