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World J Crit Care Med. Sep 9, 2026; 15(3): 122062
Published online Sep 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.122062
Published online Sep 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.122062
Characterizing the molecular landscape of venous congestion
Logan R Van Nynatten, Karina Nabieva, Gemma Barber, Jonathan J Moroniti, Alla Iansavitchene, Ross Prager, Marat Slessarev, John Basmaji, Aleksandra Leligdowicz, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Western University, Ontario N6A5A5, Canada
Author contributions: Leligdowicz A, Van Nynatten LR, Basmaji J, Slessarev M, Prager R and Iansavitchene A contributed to study conception and design; Iansavitchene A, Barber G and Moroniti JJ contributed to data extraction; Van Nynatten LR and Nabieva K contributed to data extraction, data interpretation, data analysis, data presentation and manuscript preparation; Van Nynatten LR and Leligdowicz A wrote the manuscript; all authors participated in manuscript preparation and data review.
AI contribution statement: AI was not used in the extraction of data or preparation of the manuscript. No AI tool was involved in the generation of research data, interpretation of results, or formulation of conclusions.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
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: Aleksandra Leligdowicz, MD, PhD, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Western University, Robarts Research Institute, 100 Perth Dr, Room 4220, Ontario N6A5A5, Canada. aleks.leligdowicz@lhsc.on.ca
Received: April 8, 2026
Revised: June 16, 2026
Accepted: July 16, 2026
Published online: September 9, 2026
Processing time: 135 Days and 16.6 Hours
Revised: June 16, 2026
Accepted: July 16, 2026
Published online: September 9, 2026
Processing time: 135 Days and 16.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Clinicians can increasingly identify venous congestion, but they still do not understand its pathobiology. Although congestion is recognized across multiple disease states, the existing literature is largely confined to isolated protein measurements in congested cardiac populations, leaving its broader molecular biology poorly understood. This review reveals a substantial translational gap between physiologic recognition and biological understanding of venous congestion, highlighting the need for high-dimensional molecular studies to define its mechanisms and therapeutic targets.