From conceptual emergence to multidisciplinary expansion: a bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome research.

BACKGROUND

The concept of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome has recently been introduced as an integrated framework linking heart, kidney, and metabolic disorders. However, a global overview of the research landscape in this emerging field is still lacking.

METHODS

Publications related to CKM published between 2023 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus. The search strategy incorporated the following terms: TS = ("cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic" OR "cardiovascular kidney metabolic" OR "cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome" OR "cardiovascular kidney metabolic syndrome" OR "CKM syndrome" OR "CKM health" OR "CKM framework" OR "cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic health"). Bibliometric indicators, including publication volume, authorship patterns, institutional and country contributions, journal distribution, co-citation networks, and keyword burst analysis, were systematically assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 1, 854 articles from 665 journals were identified. Annual output surged from 8 in 2023 to 1, 544 in 2025. A total of 8, 359 authors contributed, with an average of 7.95 co-authors per paper, reflecting strong collaborative activity. China and the United States were the most productive countries, with the latter acting as a central node in international collaboration networks. Keyword and citation analyses showed a clear shift from individual risk factors toward integrated cardiometabolic-renal interactions, clinical outcomes, and mortality. Highly cited works mainly addressed the definition, epidemiology, and clinical relevance of CKM.

CONCLUSION

Since its introduction in 2023, CKM research has grown rapidly into a collaborative and multidisciplinary field. Future efforts should focus on strengthening international partnerships, advancing mechanistic research, and improving the clinical translation of the CKM framework for risk stratification and prevention.