A recent study from Augusta University has found that cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKMS) is widespread among adults in the United States, with higher rates observed in certain sociodemographic groups such as women, Black Americans, rural residents, and people with lower incomes.
The research was conducted by a team at Augusta University’s American Heart Association-funded Strategically Focused Research Network center. The lead author was Steven Coughlin, PhD, with co-authors Biplab Datta, PhD; Marlo Vernon, PhD; Jennifer Sullivan, PhD; and Medical College of Georgia students Nikul Parikh and Ashley Oh.
Using national data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected in 2019, 2021, and 2023, the researchers analyzed CKMS prevalence across age groups, sex, race, education level, income brackets and geographic locations. CKMS links cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes and metabolic dysfunction. Although formally defined by the American Heart Association only in 2023, this study provides some of the most detailed estimates yet on how common CKMS is.
“The study highlights the very high prevalence of CKMS in the adult U.S. population, as well as differences by sex or gender across the lifespan,” said Coughlin. “We found that Black or African American adults born between the 1950s and 1990s have a particularly high prevalence of CKMS, which is an important observation for future studies aimed at preventing CKMS or slowing its progression.”
The findings indicate that advanced stages of CKMS are especially common among older adults—particularly those without a college degree or living in lower-income households and rural areas. Significant disparities were also found based on race and sex: non-Hispanic Black individuals born between the 1950s and 1990s showed higher rates of advanced CKMS compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. By analyzing prevalence rates according to birth decades rather than just overall numbers as previous studies did, this research offers more detail about who is most affected.
The results support earlier national studies using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data that also reported higher rates of advanced CKMS among older adults, men and Black Americans. The authors say these patterns underscore how significant a public health challenge CKMS represents in the U.S., highlighting a need for prevention efforts targeted at specific groups throughout different life stages.
“This study provides estimates of CKMS prevalence across birth decades and by sociodemographic attributes within each birth decade. This will help policy makers and stakeholders to better understand the differential burden of CKMS in the U.S. population,” said Datta.
Coughlin has extensive experience in epidemiology focused on racial disparities and women’s health. Vernon specializes in family-based health behavior change strategies while leading projects related to cancer prevention and maternal health outcomes. Datta brings expertise in quantitative methods for population health analysis. Sullivan leads research into sex differences in cardiovascular physiology as dean of The Graduate School at Augusta University; her work has received continuous funding since 2008 from both NIH and AHA.
