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Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review
Apurva Popat, Param P Sharma, Department of Cardiology, Sanford Health, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI 54449, United States
Srinivasulu Yerukala Sathipati, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI 54449, United States
Author contributions: Popat A conceptualized the study, drafted the manuscript, and coordinated the overall project; Sathipati SY contributed to writing and critical revision of the manuscript; Sharma PP provided supervision, expert guidance, and critical review of the manuscript; and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: ChatGPT and OpenEvidence were used solely for linguistic refinement, cross checking references and formatting assistance. No AI tool was involved in the generation of research data, interpretation of results, or formulation of conclusions. All AI-generated outputs were critically reviewed and revised by the authors.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors have no conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Corresponding author: Apurva Popat, MD, Department of Cardiology, Sanford Health, Marsh
Received: February 24, 2026
Revised: May 3, 2026
Accepted: June 4, 2026
Published online: July 26, 2026
Processing time: 147 Days and 11.8 Hours
Revised: May 3, 2026
Accepted: June 4, 2026
Published online: July 26, 2026
Processing time: 147 Days and 11.8 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This systematic review summarizes current evidence on circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers across cardiovascular disease, including acute coronary syndromes, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, cardiogenic shock, and hypertension. Several miRNAs showed promising disease-specific signals, including miR-133a, miR-328, miR-423-5p, miR-19a, and miR-21. However, clinical translation remains limited by heterogeneity in sampling methods, assay platforms, normalization strategies, and limited external validation. Standardized multicenter prospective studies are needed before circulating miRNAs can be incorporated into routine cardiovascular risk stratification.