CKM staging faces an early vascular test

Investigators examined Life’s Essential 8 scores and carotid ultrasonography measures across cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic stages in 1,283 young adults.

By
Kathryn Wighton
September 8, 2026
3 min

MDSpire News

Objective:

To investigate the association between cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome stages and cardiovascular health scores and early carotid arterial injury in young adults.

Approach:

Study Design: Cross-sectional study analyzing 1,283 participants with a mean age of 23 years from the FF-CHAYA study.
CKM Staging: Participants were classified into CKM stages 0 to 3 based on the presence of risk factors.
Health Assessment: Cardiovascular health was assessed using Life’s Essential 8 scores and carotid ultrasonography was performed to evaluate arterial injury.
Statistical Analysis: Multivariable linear regression models were used, adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Key Findings:

Adjusted mean Life’s Essential 8 scores were 78 in stage 0, 70 in stage 1, 64 in stages 2 and 3.

Interpretation:

CKM stages are associated with early markers of carotid arterial injury as early as young adulthood, according to the study authors.

Limitations:

The study could not establish causality.
The cohort may not be representative due to oversampling from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sensitivity of self-reported data may limit the findings.