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Clinical calculator summary

MELD Score

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a scoring system for assessing the severity of chronic liver disease.

Evidence-based context for fast calculator use

Purpose:
MELD Score calculates end-stage liver disease severity using bilirubin, creatinine, and INR to prioritize patients for liver transplantation.
Population:
patients undergoing liver-function, hepatocellular carcinoma staging, imaging, or transplant assessment
Factors:
Total Bilirubin, INR, Serum Creatinine, Dialysis
Reference:
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.
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MELD Score

µmol/L
µmol/L

Clinical Context & Background

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a scoring system for assessing the severity of chronic liver disease. It was initially developed to predict death within three months of surgery in patients who had undergone a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure, and was subsequently found to be useful in determining prognosis and prioritizing for receipt of a liver transplant.
Primary Source EvidenceKamath 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.
Formula Logic
10 × ((0.957 × ln(Creatinine mg/dL)) + (0.378 × ln(Bilirubin mg/dL)) + (1.120 × ln(INR)) + 0.643)

Reference Data

MELD Score3-Month Mortality Estimate
40 or more71.3% mortality
30 - 3952.6% mortality
20 - 2919.6% mortality
10 - 196.0% mortality
9 or less1.9% mortality

Clinical Workflow

Use, Interpret, And Continue The Patient Pathway

Expand for workflow guidance, limitations, examples, and related next steps.

When To Use

  • Use MELD Score when mELD Score calculates end-stage liver disease severity using bilirubin, creatinine, and INR to prioritize patients for liver transplantation.
  • Confirm that the patient, diagnosis, disease phase, and available inputs match the cited model before calculation.

How To Interpret

  • Interpret the displayed result using the calculator-specific formula and reference table, spanning 40 or more through 9 or less.
  • A boundary result should prompt input verification and clinical review rather than false precision.

What To Do Next

  • Integrate liver reserve, portal hypertension, tumor burden, vascular invasion, extrahepatic disease, performance status, and transplant policy.
  • Document the inputs, result, timing, and clinical context so the assessment can be reproduced.

Limitations

  • Liver function, HCC stage, imaging category, and transplant criteria are complementary but not interchangeable.
  • The result supports clinician judgment and does not independently determine treatment.

Validated Population

patients undergoing liver-function, hepatocellular carcinoma staging, imaging, or transplant assessment

How to apply this result

For a representative case, verify Total Bilirubin, INR, Serum Creatinine, calculate the result, and confirm that its classification matches the highlighted reference band before continuing the disease-specific pathway.

Liver / HCC hubContinue to related calculators and clinical workflow resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should MELD Score be used?

Use it for patients undergoing liver-function, hepatocellular carcinoma staging, imaging, or transplant assessment when all required inputs and the intended clinical setting are confirmed.

Can MELD Score determine treatment by itself?

No. Interpret the result with the cited evidence, complete clinical assessment, current guidelines, and patient-specific goals.

Evidence-based oncology decision support. Verify with clinical guidelines.