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Life
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Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism
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Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 18 January 2026 | Viewed by 4712

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ana Blazquez-Medela

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Guest Editor
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, 309 E. Second Street, HEC 2264, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
Interests: cardiovascular research; adipogenesis; cardiometabolic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The link between metabolism and cardiovascular physiology has been evident for a long time. Both metabolic and cardiovascular diseases have experienced continuous increases in incidence and prevalence in recent years. The increase in unhealthy dietary habits has led to an increase in overweight and obesity to the point where obesity is considered an epidemic by the WHO. The worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022.

Obesity and overweight are associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events and diseases, and the increase of overweight and obesity rates during childhood makes negative outcomes in adulthood more likely.

The magnitude of these issues and their severe effects on the life expectancy and quality of life of those affected have led many researchers to focus their efforts on them in recent years. While getting billions of people to change their lifestyle habits in order to prevent these issues would be an impossible task, better understanding the mechanisms underlying the connection between metabolic disorders and vascular pathologies would improve the quality of treatment of the affected people and can have a potential effect in reducing the pathologies derived from or linked to overweight and obesity, including vascular issues.

This issue aims to inquire further about the mechanisms linking metabolic and vascular health and to include the most updated knowledge in cardiometabolic diseases.

Dr. Ana Blazquez-Medela
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cardiovascular
  • cardiometabolic disease
  • adipogenesis
  • atherosclerosis
  • obesity
  • overweight
  • peripheral artery disease

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 330 KB  
Article
The Role of High-Sensitivity Troponin I in Predicting Atrial High-Rate Episodes (AHREs) in Patients with Permanent Pacemakers
by Linh Ha Khanh Duong, Nien Vinh Lam and Vinh Thanh Tran
Life 2025, 15(12), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15121850 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 228
Abstract
Background: Atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) detected by pacemakers are linked to increased stroke risk. The predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) for AHREs in pacemaker patients remains uncertain. This study evaluated baseline hs-cTnI as a predictor for new-onset AHREs in this [...] Read more.
Background: Atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) detected by pacemakers are linked to increased stroke risk. The predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) for AHREs in pacemaker patients remains uncertain. This study evaluated baseline hs-cTnI as a predictor for new-onset AHREs in this population. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 272 patients undergoing permanent pacemaker implantation. We excluded 40 patients with pre-existing atrial fibrillation (AF), leaving a total of 232 patients (mean age 63.7 years; 53.4% male) in the at-risk cohort. Baseline hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP were measured. The primary endpoint was new-onset AHREs (>175 bpm), detected by device interrogation over a median follow-up of 12 months. Results: New-onset AHREs occurred in 65 (28.0%) patients. Contrary to our hypothesis, baseline hs-cTnI levels did not differ significantly between patients who developed AHREs and those who did not (median 16.5 vs. 15.7 pg/mL, p = 0.148). Multivariable Cox regression confirmed that neither hs-cTnI nor NT-proBNP were independent predictors. Instead, Sick Sinus Syndrome (HR 2.10, p < 0.001), heart failure (HR 1.78, p = 0.010), and Left Atrial Diameter (HR 1.15, p = 0.006) were significant independent predictors. Conclusions: In this high-risk pacemaker cohort, baseline hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP did not predict short-term new-onset AHREs. Established electrical and structural substrates appear to be the overwhelming drivers of arrhythmia in this specific population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism)
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11 pages, 421 KB  
Article
Serum p-Cresyl Sulfate Is Independently Associated with Aortic Stiffness in Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
by Yahn-Bor Chern, Ken Lee Chia, Chin-Hung Liu, Yu-Li Lin, Jen-Pi Tsai and Bang-Gee Hsu
Life 2025, 15(7), 1116; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15071116 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 816
Abstract
p-Cresyl sulfate (PCS), a gut-derived uremic toxin with proinflammatory and cytotoxic effects, has been implicated in cardiovascular injuries among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Aortic stiffness (AS), assessed by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), is a recognized predictor of cardiovascular risk. [...] Read more.
p-Cresyl sulfate (PCS), a gut-derived uremic toxin with proinflammatory and cytotoxic effects, has been implicated in cardiovascular injuries among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Aortic stiffness (AS), assessed by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), is a recognized predictor of cardiovascular risk. This study investigated the association between serum PCS levels and AS in patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD. In total, 165 patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD were enrolled. Clinical data and fasting blood samples were collected. Arterial stiffness (AS) was assessed bilaterally by measuring carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) on both the left and right sides. A value above 10 m/s was considered indicative of increased stiffness. Serum PCS levels were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Fifty patients (30.3%) had AS. The AS group was significantly older and had higher diabetes prevalence, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, urinary protein-creatinine ratio, and PCS levels than the control group. In the multivariate analysis, both PCS (odds ratio [OR]: 1.097; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.024–1.175; p = 0.008) and age (OR: 1.057; 95% CI: 1.025–1.090; p < 0.001) were independently associated with AS. In conclusion, elevated serum PCS and older age were independently associated with AS. Thus, PCS is a potential early marker of vascular damage in CKD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism)
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12 pages, 1219 KB  
Article
Empagliflozin Leads to Faster Improvement in Arterial Stiffness Compared to Dapagliflozin: A Double-Blind Clinical
by Erick González Campos, Fernando Grover Páez, Carlos Gerardo Ramos Becerra, Luis Ricardo Balleza Alejandri, Daniel Osmar Suárez Rico, Ernesto Germán Cardona Muñoz, Sara Pascoe González, María Guadalupe Ramos Zavala, Alberto Beltrán Ramírez, Jesús Jonathan García Galindo and David Cardona Müller
Life 2025, 15(5), 802; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15050802 - 18 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1977
Abstract
(1) Background: Arterial stiffness, often measured by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), is crucial in cardiovascular disease. Dapagliflozin has shown rapid effects on arterial stiffness, but there is limited evidence of empagliflozin’s acute effects, especially in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. This study [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Arterial stiffness, often measured by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), is crucial in cardiovascular disease. Dapagliflozin has shown rapid effects on arterial stiffness, but there is limited evidence of empagliflozin’s acute effects, especially in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. This study evaluated the acute effects of empagliflozin and dapagliflozin on arterial stiffness and blood pressure (BP). (2) Methods: A one-week double-blind randomized trial involved 30 T2D patients on stable metformin therapy. Participants received empagliflozin (25 mg/day), dapagliflozin (10 mg/day), or a placebo. Arterial stiffness was assessed via cf-PWV, and BP was measured with an automated sphygmomanometer. (3) Results: Both SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduced cf-PWV compared to the placebo after one week (p < 0.05), with dapagliflozin showing a more pronounced effect. No significant differences were observed in BP changes. (4) Conclusion: Short-term treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors acutely reduces arterial stiffness in T2D patients, with empagliflozin demonstrating a stronger effect, supporting the potential vascular benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors beyond glucose control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism)
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Review

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16 pages, 238 KB  
Review
The Role of Resistin in Macrovascular and Microvascular Complications of Type 2 Diabetes
by Africa Samantha Reynoso-Roa, Susan Andrea Gutiérrez-Rubio, Ezequiel Magallón-Gastélum, Trinidad García-Iglesias, Daniel Osmar Suárez-Rico and Teresa Arcelia García-Cobián
Life 2025, 15(4), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15040585 - 2 Apr 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1177
Abstract
Resistin is an adipokine produced in adipose tissue with pro-inflammatory properties, whose elevation has been associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Over the past years, significant research has explored the pathophysiological mechanisms involving resistin, utilizing various in vitro and in vivo models. Additionally, [...] Read more.
Resistin is an adipokine produced in adipose tissue with pro-inflammatory properties, whose elevation has been associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Over the past years, significant research has explored the pathophysiological mechanisms involving resistin, utilizing various in vitro and in vivo models. Additionally, numerous clinical studies have aimed to establish a correlation between resistin and the development and progression of macrovascular and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. This narrative review summarizes in vitro, in vivo, and human studies published in English since the discovery of resistin in 2001 to the present, examining the role of this adipokine in the pathophysiology of macrovascular and microvascular complications in in vivo and in vitro T2D models, as well as the clinical evidence supporting its use as a biochemical marker in patients with these conditions. The results exhibit considerable heterogeneity and appear to be dependent on the experimental model or population studied. While experimental evidence supports resistin’s involvement at the cellular and molecular levels in the pathogenesis of these complications, current clinical evidence remains insufficient to justify its use as a biochemical marker for either diagnosis or prognosis. Therefore, further well-designed studies are required to elucidate resistin’s potential role in the clinical setting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vascular Health and Metabolism)
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