MELD stands for Model of End Stage Liver Disease. It is a system used to determine the patient’s risk of dying from their liver disease within three months. It is based on how severe the patient’s medical condition is. The premise is to make sure that patients who are in most need of a liver transplant are identified and receive a transplant in time.
The range of the MELD score is from 6 to 40. As the score increases, the patient moves higher up the transplant list. MELD scores are determined using a mathematical formula based on serum creatinine, total bilirubin and INR levels (in other words, the items measured each time you get your bloodwork.)
It is vital to get your bloodwork done on a regular basis to make sure we have your appropriate score.
You can calculate your MELD score on the UNOS website www.unos.org
-Cindy Cohen, C.R.N.P., Liver Transplantation
