Endothelium dysfunction classification: why is it still an open discussion?

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Vascular Biology
• Medical Classification Systems

Background:

• A didactic classification for endothelial dysfunction was developed in the 1990s.
• Despite its use, the scientific community has not widely discussed or adopted a consensus classification.
• Previous attempts to stimulate discussion through publications have not yielded significant engagement.

Discussion:

• Several hypotheses are explored for the lack of discussion: perceived unimportance, premature reductionism, complexity of endothelial dysfunction, focus on nitric oxide in cardiovascular literature, and potential reluctance to engage with the original proposal.
• The paper questions why the scientific community avoids discussing endothelial dysfunction classification.
• The multifaceted nature of endothelial dysfunction is acknowledged as a challenge for classification.

Key Insights:

• The existing classification, while utilized, is continually questioned for its suitability.
• There is a perceived apprehension in cardiovascular journals regarding classifications that deviate from the nitric oxide pathway.
• The need for an effective and updated classification of endothelial dysfunction is emphasized.

Outlook:

• The authors aim to "reopen" the discussion on the necessity of an effective endothelial dysfunction classification.
• This initiative seeks to draw special attention from the scientific community to this topic.
• An updated classification is proposed as timely and necessary for advancing research in vascular biology.