Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM) is a novel concept introduced by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2023, which refers to a systemic disease resulting from the interactions between metabolic risk factors, chronic kidney disease, and the cardiovascular system. This syndrome can lead to multi-organ dysfunction and increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events. However, the early diagnostic biomarkers for CKM have yet to be established, and the social and environmental factors involved in its progression remain unclear.
Objective
To address this gap, the present study aims to adopt an integrated approach that leverages extensive genetic, metabolomic, proteomic, and comprehensive epidemiological data. Through multidimensional analyses, this study seeks to identify novel risk factors and uncover potential biomarkers for CKM.
Scientific rationale
Probing circulating proteins provides unique opportunities to uncover novel biomarkers and improve our understanding of etiology of those diseases. Similarly, blood metabolome is considered as important readouts of aggregated information from genetic factors, gene expression to protein abundance, as well as external environmental factors. To accomplish this, we will combine multi-omics (i.e., proteomics and metabolomics) and epidemiological data to discover novel risk factors, biomarkers and provide definitive evidence for known CKM risk factors reported by traditional observational studies. Our endeavor will encompass the analysis of multi-omics and epidemiological information, enabling us to unravel new risk factors, identify potential biomarkers, and comprehend the intricate web of causal relationships underpinning CKM. This comprehensive exploration will encompass conditions such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerosis, vascular calcification, and others.