Association between mortality and age among mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients: a Japanese nationwide COVID-19 database study

BACKGROUND: Only a few studies have reported the association between age and mortality in COVID-19 patients who require invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We aimed to evaluate the effect of age on COVID-19-related mortality among patients undergoing IMV therapy. METHODS: This cohort study was conducted using the COVID-19 Registry Japan database, a nationwide multi-centre study of hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Of all 33,808 cases registered between 1 January 2020 to 28 February 2021, we analysed 1555 patients who had undergone IMV. We evaluated mortality rates between age groups using multivariable regression analysis after adjusting for known potential components, such as within-hospital clustering, comorbidities, steroid use, medication for COVID-19, and vital signs on admission, using generalized estimation equation. RESULTS: By age group, the mortality rates in the IMV group were 8.6%, 20.7%, 34.9%, 49.7% and 83.3% for patients in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that compared with those for patients aged < 60 years, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of death were 2.6 (1.6–4.1), 6.9 (4.2–11.3), 13.2 (7.2–24.1), 92.6 (16.7–515.0) for patients in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, age had a great effect on mortality in COVID-19 patients undergoing IMV, after adjusting for variables independently associated with mortality. This study suggested that age was associated with higher mortality and that preventing progression to severe COVID-19 in elderly patients may be a great public health issue. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13613-021-00959-6.