MASLD as a systemic metabolic disease: expanding the scope of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome

Abstract

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a highly prevalent and progressive liver condition that is increasingly recognized for its systemic cardiometabolic impacts. MASLD increases the risk of cardiovascular and renal complications mainly through shared mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and a procoagulant state. Although these interrelated processes drive multisystem damage, MASLD remains often underdiagnosed in cardiology and nephrology settings and is excluded from the recently proposed framework for Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome. Increasing recognition of the bidirectional interconnections between MASLD, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease suggests the need for an expanded Cardiovascular-Liver-Kidney-Metabolic (CLKM) model. Integrating MASLD into this framework supports earlier identification using non-invasive screening tools, encourages coordinated multidisciplinary care, and highlights the potential of pharmacotherapies, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, with cross-organ benefits. This review aims to reframe MASLD within this broader multisystem context and explore the implications of its integration into an expanded CLKM framework, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes and addressing multimorbidity.

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ORCID for Chrisopher Byrne: orcid.org/0000-0001-6322-7753

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