Epigenetic age acceleration needs clone context
Clone size, lineage, and time course determine what can be inferred from an association between clonal hematopoiesis and epigenetic age acceleration. This systematic review and meta-analysis may help establish whether the association is consistent across studies, but its interpretation depends on how the underlying studies defined clonal hematopoiesis. Were estimates stratified by variant allele fraction, driver gene, blood lineage, and whether clone burden was measured serially? Cross-sectional associations cannot establish that clonal expansion preceded or contributed to epigenetic age acceleration.