Socioeconomic and race/ethnic differences in immunosenescence: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to understand variation in immunose-nescence at the population-level. Thus far, population patterns of immunosenescence have not well described. Methods: We characterized measures of immunosenescence from the 2016 Venous Blood Study from the na-tionally representative U.S Health and Retirement Study (HRS) of individuals ages 50 years and older.Results: Median values of the CD8+:CD4+, EMRA:Naive CD4+ and EMRA:Naive CD8+ ratios were higher among older participants and were lower in those with additional educational attainment. Generally, minoritized race and ethnic groups had immune markers suggestive of a more aged immune profile: Hispanics had a CD8+:CD4+ median value of 0.37 (95 % CI: 0.35, 0.39) compared to 0.30 in non-Hispanic Whites (95 % CI: 0.29, 0.31). Non -Hispanic Blacks had the highest median value of the EMRA:Naive CD4+ ratio (0.08; 95 % CI: 0.07, 0.09) compared to non-Hispanic Whites (0.03; 95 % CI: 0.028, 0.033). In regression analyses, race/ethnicity and education were associated with large differences in the immune ratio measures after adjustment for age and sex.Conclusions: Lower educational attainment and minoritized racial ethnic status were associated with higher levels of immunosenescence. This population variation may have important implications for both risk of age-related disease and vulnerability to emerging pathogens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2).

Automated summary

This study investigated the variation in immunosenescence among individuals aged 50 and older in the US. The findings showed that older age and lower educational attainment were associated with higher levels of immunosenescence. Minoritized racial and ethnic groups exhibited immune markers suggestive of a more aged immune profile. Race/ethnicity and education were found to be associated with differences in immune ratio measures. This population variation may have important implications for the risk of age-related diseases and vulnerability to emerging pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.