Bouza, CarmenMartínez-Alés, GonzaloLopez-Cuadrado, Teresa2024-02-022024-02-022021-09-11Age Ageing. 2021 Sep 11;50(5):1607-1615.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/17437Background: Critical care demand for older people is increasing. However, there is scarce population-based information about the use of life-support measures such as invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in this population segment. Objective: To examine the characteristics and recent trends of IMV for older adults. Methods: Retrospective cohort study on IMV in adults ≥65 years using the 2004-15 Spanish national hospital discharge database. Primary outcomes were incidence, inhospital mortality and resource utilization. Trends were assessed for average annual percentage change in rates using joinpoint regression models. Results: 233,038 cases were identified representing 1.27% of all-cause hospitalizations and a crude incidence of 248 cases/100,000 older adult population. Mean age was 75 years, 62% were men and 70% had comorbidities. Inhospital mortality was 48%. Across all ages, about 80% of survivors were discharged home. Incidence rates of IMV remained roughly unchanged over time with an average annual change of -0.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.9, 0.6). Inhospital mortality decreased an annual average of -0.7% (95% CI: -0.5, -1.0), a trend detected across age groups and most clinical strata. Further, there was a 3.4% (95% CI: 3.0, 3.8) annual increase in the proportion of adults aged ≥80 years, an age group that showed higher mortality risk, lower frequency of prolonged IMV, shorter hospital stays and lower costs. Conclusions: Overall rates of IMV remained roughly stable among older adults, while inhospital mortality showed a decreasing trend. There was a notable increase in adults aged ≥80 years, a group with high mortality and lower associated hospital resource use.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/IncidenceInvasive mechanical ventilationOlder peopleOutcomesTrendsHospitalizationRespiration, ArtificialAgedHospital MortalityHumansLength of StayMaleRetrospective StudiesAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional337102655051607-161510.1093/ageing/afab0231468-2834Age and ageingopen access