Geographical Variation in Use of Intensive Care in Denmark: A Nationwide Study

Methods We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study based on linkage of national medical registries including all Danish residents between 2008 and 2012 using population statistics from Statistics Denmark. Data on intensive care unit (ICU) admission and interventions, including mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilation, acute renal replacement therapy and treatment with inotropes/vasopressors, were obtained from the Danish Intensive Care Database. Data on patients’ residence at the time of admission were obtained from the Danish National Registry of Patients. ICU admission rates were ageand gender standardized while proportions of patients receiving different therapies were age-, genderand comorbidity standardized.