The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a calculated formula used to assign priority to most liver transplant candidates age 12 and older based upon their medical urgency.
Some updates were made effective July 13, 2023, to data used in the MELD calculation formula. These updates were part of an initiative (PDF - 667 KB) to better predict the risk of waitlist mortality for liver transplant candidates.
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How the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease is calculated and used
The MELD calculation uses the following inputs:
- Serum creatinine (mg/dL) (The default creatinine value is set to 3 mg/dL if the candidate either has had dialysis twice within the last week, or has been on 24 hours of continuous veno-venous hemodialysis within the past week.)
- Bilirubin (mg/dL)
- INR
- Serum sodium (mEq/L)
- Albumin (g/dL)
- Candidate age at listing
- Sex for purposes of adult MELD calculation (only if candidate’s age at registration is 18 years or older)
The MELD calculator is used for candidates 12 and older. The PELD calculator is used for candidates up to 12 years old.
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