Background: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are dermatological emergencies characterised by epidermal desquamation and are associated with significant mortality.
Hypothesis: We hypothesise that non-metropolitan residents with SJS, TEN or SJS/TEN overlap will have a higher 90-day all-cause mortality rate than metropolitan residents with SJS, TEN or SJS/TEN overlap.
Methodology: Patients treated for SJS, TEN or SJS/TEN overlap syndrome at Alfred Hospital, a quaternary referral hospital with a multidisciplinary management team, over an 8 year period between 1/7/2013 to 30/6/2021 were included. A comparison of 90-day all-cause mortality was performed of patients diagnosed with SJS, TEN or SJS/TEN overlap. Metropolitan and non-metropolitan status was determined using both the Modified Monash Model (MMM) for rurality and radial distance in kilometres from Alfred Hospital.
Results: A total of 83 patients were diagnosed with SJS (15, 18.1%), TEN (42, 50.6%) or SJS/TEN (26, 31.3%). 90-day mortality was 18.1% (15/83). Mortality amongst patients from MMM1 (metropolitan) postcodes compared to MMM2-7 (rural and regional) postcodes was 20.3% (14/69) and 7.1% (1/14) respectively (OR 3.3091, p=0.2679). Distance between postcode of residence to Alfred Hospital had no impact on mortality, postcode < 50km distance 20% (13/65) and >50 km 11.1% (2/18) (OR 2.25, p=0.3151). Despite a low mortality amongst patients presenting to Alfred Hospital (6.67%, 1/15 Alfred vs 20/6%, 14/58 non-Alfred), the result was not significant (OR 0.2755, p=0.2316).
Conclusion: There is no statistically significant difference in 90-day mortality between patients with SJS/TEN living in metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions using both MMM and distance above or below 50 kilometres from a quaternary hospital.