InflammAging and Human Diversity: Expanding Horizons in Age-Related Chronic Disease

InflammAging (IA) is a sterile, low-grade systemic inflammation characterizing human aging. This chronic inflammatory state, combining "inflammation" and "aging", drives the aging trajectory and associated pathology even in the absence of acute clinical signs. IA is a key etiological factor for numerous age-associated diseases, including neurodegeneration (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, sarcopenia, cancer, frailty, and multimorbidity, by exacerbating tissue/organ damage and impairing endogenous repair. Historically viewed as a universal hallmark of aging, this concept is now being refined. Current research highlights how human diversity-encompassing genetic, ethnic, gender, sex, environmental, socioeconomic, and lifestyle variations-could modulate the expression and severity of IA. This interplay, as emerging hypotheses, represents a new horizon in gerontology and chronic diseases, necessitating a potential paradigm shift from a one-size-fits-all model to personalized, population-specific approaches. This evolving nuanced understanding might be crucial for the successful implementation of precision medicine and for advancing global health strategies targeting age-related chronic diseases.