Novel biomarkers with potential for cardiovascular risk reclassification

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarkers
• Risk Prediction

Background:

• Accurate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation is crucial for treatment decisions.
• Existing multivariate risk models have limitations in predicting CVD events.
• Novel biomarkers are being investigated to enhance cardiovascular risk prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of underappreciated biomarkers in cardiovascular risk reclassification.
• To highlight the utility of novel serum and imaging biomarkers.
• To assess their value in patients with intermediate CVD risk.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on novel cardiovascular risk markers.
• Discussion of serum biomarkers: red cell distribution width (RDW), cystatin C (cysC), and homocysteine (Hcy).
• Inclusion of imaging biomarkers in the assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Main Results:

• RDW, cysC, and Hcy show potential as valuable additions to existing risk models.
• Imaging biomarkers can provide further information for risk stratification.
• These novel markers aid in reclassifying cardiovascular risk, especially in intermediate-risk groups.

Conclusions:

• Underappreciated biomarkers like RDW, cysC, and Hcy can significantly improve cardiovascular risk prediction.
• Integrating these novel serum and imaging biomarkers enhances risk assessment beyond traditional factors.
• These markers are particularly useful for refining risk in patients categorized as intermediate risk.