MELD Score Calculator
About MELD Score
The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) Score is a scoring system for assessing the severity of chronic liver disease. It's used to prioritize patients waiting for liver transplants.
MELD Score Formula:
MELD = 3.78×ln[serum bilirubin (mg/dL)] + 11.2×ln[INR] + 9.57×ln[serum creatinine (mg/dL)] + 6.43
Interpretation:
- <9: 1.9% 3-month mortality
- 10-19: 6% 3-month mortality
- 20-29: 19.6% 3-month mortality
- 30-39: 52.6% 3-month mortality
- >40: 71.3% 3-month mortality
Uses:
- Prioritizing patients for liver transplantation
- Predicting survival in patients with end-stage liver disease
- Assessing the urgency of liver transplantation
Limitations:
The MELD score doesn't account for some complications of portal hypertension, such as ascites or hepatic encephalopathy. It may not accurately reflect the urgency of transplantation in all patients, particularly those with hepatocellular carcinoma.
References:
- Kamath PS, Wiesner RH, Malinchoc M, et al. A model to predict survival in patients with end-stage liver disease. Hepatology. 2001;33(2):464-470.
- Wiesner R, Edwards E, Freeman R, et al. Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and allocation of donor livers. Gastroenterology. 2003;124(1):91-96.