Racial/ethnic variations in inflammatory markers: exploring the role of sleep duration and sleep efficiency
Date
2022-08-27
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Abstract
Individuals from minoritized racial/ethnic groups have higher levels of circulating inflammatory markers. However, the mechanisms underlying these differences remain understudied. The objective of this study was to examine racial/ethnic variations in multiple markers of inflammation and whether impaired sleep contributes to these racial/ethnic differences. Nurses from two regional hospitals in Texas (n = 377; 71.62% White; 6.90% Black; 11.14% Hispanic, 10.34% Asian; mean age = 39.46; 91.78% female) completed seven days of sleep diaries and actigraphy to assess mean and variability in total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE). On day 7, blood was drawn to assess 4 inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Results from regression models showed differences in inflammatory markers by race/ethnicity, adjusting for age and gender. The associations between sleep parameters and inflammatory markers also varied by race/ethnicity. Among White nurses, lower mean and greater variability in actigraphy-determined TST and greater variability in diary-determined TST were associated with higher levels of IL-6. Among Black nurses, lower mean diary-determined SE was associated with higher levels of IL-6 and IL-1β. Among Hispanic nurses, greater diary-determined mean TST was associated with higher CRP. Among Asian nurses, greater intraindividual variability in actigraphy-determined SE was associated with lower CRP. Among nurses, we did not find racial/ethnic disparities in levels of inflammation. However, analyses revealed differential relationships between sleep and inflammatory markers by race/ethnicity. Results highlight the importance of using a within-group approach to understand predictors of inflammatory markers.
Description
This version of the article has been accepted for publication in Journal of Behavioral Medicine, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-022-00357-8. This article will be embargoed until 08/27/2023.
Keywords
disparities, sleep, inflammation, race/ethnicity
Citation
Farmer, H.R., Slavish, D.C., Ruiz, J. et al. Racial/ethnic variations in inflammatory markers: exploring the role of sleep duration and sleep efficiency. J Behav Med 45, 855–867 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-022-00357-8