Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide and chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition affecting more than 10% of the general population.
The two conditions are multifactorial, complex diseases that share common risk factors and mechanisms. A sedentary lifestyle, overnutrition, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and smoking increase the risk of both diseases. Also, environmental risk factors such as chronic, low-level exposure to particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and black carbon are associated with cardiovascular disease and also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease at the population level. Lifestyle and environmental risk factors are not the only two actors in this complicated picture. For both cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, genetic predisposition is a main risk factor. This has been demonstrated by these conditions’ tendency to run in families and by the identification of genes (specific DNA sequence) or more specifically, genetic polymorphisms (variants of DNA sequence that can be found in individuals or populations) associated with either cardiovascular diseases or kidney diseases. Genetic predisposition therefore concurs together with lifestyle and environmental factors in the manifestation of such diseases. Taken together, these risk factors are common primary triggers of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Following a first hit to the heart and/or kidney, cardiovascular-kidney crosstalk amplifies mechanisms of cardiovascular and kidney damage.
The recently-redefined chronic cardiovascular-kidney disorder (CCKD) is a clinical condition that occurs when specific features of cardiovascular and kidney disease are present at the same time. Besides the above-mentioned risk factors for these two contributing conditions, it is currently unknown whether specific genes or genetic polymorphisms are associated with CCKD.
Our research aims at identifying the genetic causes of CCKD. We will start by identifying genes and genetic polymorphisms for cardiovascular and kidney disease separately and then investigating whether there is an overlap. This could help identify individual at high-risk, facilitate treatment decisions and help define specific populations for further clinical and epidemiological research.
Clinical data on cardiovascular and kidney condition and genetic data collected by the UK Biobank will be used to address these questions.
