• Agata Schlesinger, Avraham Weiss, Olga Nenaydenko, Nira Koren-Morag, Abraham Adunsky, and Yichayaou Beloosesky.
• Department of Geriatrics, Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson Campus), Petah Tikva, Israel.
• Isr Med Assoc J. 2019 Nov 1; 21 (11): 719723719-723.

BackgroundStatins and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have beneficial effects on health outcomes in the general population. Their effect on survival in debilitated nursing home residents is unknown.ObjectivesTo assess the relationships between statins, SSRIs, and survival of nursing home residents.MethodsBaseline patient characteristics, including chronic medications, were recorded. The association of 5-year survival with different variables was analyzed. A sub-group analysis of survival was performed according to baseline treatment with statins and/or SSRIs.ResultsThe study comprised 993 residents from 6 nursing homes. Of them, 285 were males (29%), 750 (75%) were fully dependent, and 243 (25%) were mobile demented. Mean age was 85 ± 7.6 years (range 65-108). After 5 years follow-up, the mortality rate was 81%. Analysis by sub-groups showed longer survival among older adults treated with only statins (hazard ratio [HR] for death 0.68, 95% confidence intervals [95%CI] 0.49-0.94) or only SSRIs (HR 0.6, 95%CI 0.45-0.81), with the longest survival among those taking both statins and SSRIs (HR 0.41, 95%CI 0.25-0.67) and shortest among residents not taking statins or SSRIs (P < 0.001). The survival benefit remained significant after adjusting for age and after conducting a multivariate analysis adjusted for sex, functional status, body mass index, mini-mental state examination, feeding status, arrhythmia, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and hemato-oncological diagnosis.ConclusionsTreatment with statins and/or SSRIs at baseline was associated with longer survival in debilitated nursing home residents and should not be deprived from these patients, if medically indicated.

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