Perception of Pain During Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy

"Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is a psychophysical test procedure. With the help of calibrated stimuli and subjective sensory information, the functional state of the somatosensory system of a subject or patient is examined with regard to the expression of clinical signs.~The test includes:~* Cold detection threshold~* Warm detection threshold~* Paradoxical heat sensation~* Cold pain threshold~* Heat pain threshold~* Mechanical detection threshold~* Mechanical pain threshold~* Mechanical pain sensitivity~* Dynamic mechanical allodynia~* Wind-up phenomena~* Vibration threshold~* Pressure pain threshold"

The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), a validated and internationally used health questionnaire, will also be completed twice at the first study day before the sex hormone therapy is initiated and during the last study day in month 6. The questionnaire consists of 9 items on the topic of mental well-being.

"Blood concentrations of the following laboratory parameters will be determined:~* Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)~* Luteotropic hormone (LH)~* Prolactin (PRL)~* Oestradiol (E2)~* Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)~* Testosterone"