J Vasc Res. 2026 Feb 12:1-33. doi: 10.1159/000549775. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular risk (CVR) represents a major global health challenge due to its strong association with metabolic and endocrine disorders. Conditions such as metabolic syndrome (MetS), hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cardiorenometabolic syndrome (CKM), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) share overlapping but distinct clinical and pathophysiological features. Common mechanisms include insulin resistance, adipose tissue dysfunction, low-grade inflammation, and lipid abnormalities, which collectively contribute to vascular injury and cardiometabolic progression. MetS reflects central obesity often accompanied by hypertension and dyslipidaemia, while HTGW identifies visceral adiposity and metabolic imbalance. MASLD, formerly known as NAFLD, is now recognised as an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. CKM encompasses the continuum of metabolic, renal, and cardiovascular dysfunction with additive effects on global risk. PCOS, prevalent among women of reproductive age, involves metabolic and hormonal disturbances that promote endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis. This review synthesises current evidence linking these entities within a unified cardiometabolic framework and highlights the need for integrated risk stratification. Precision medicine approaches combining clinical, biochemical, and imaging biomarkers may allow early identification of subclinical phenotypes, enabling timely and targeted interventions to modify disease trajectories and reduce long-term cardiovascular burden.
PMID:41678428 | DOI:10.1159/000549775