What is the minimum and maximum MELD score?

MELD scores are mathematically bounded and reported in the range of 6 to 40 (UNOS caps any value below 6 at 6 and values above 40 at 40). A higher score indicates worse liver function and higher short-term mortality risk.

What creatinine value should I use for dialysis patients?

Per UNOS policy, if the patient received hemodialysis or CVVH at least twice in the past week, or if the creatinine exceeds 4.0 mg/dL, use 4.0 mg/dL as the creatinine input.

How is MELD-Na different from MELD?

MELD-Na incorporates serum sodium into the original MELD formula. Since hyponatremia is an independent predictor of pre-transplant mortality (patients with low sodium have higher 90-day mortality than the MELD alone suggests), MELD-Na was adopted by UNOS in January 2016 for waitlist prioritization. The formula is: MELD-Na = MELD + 1.32 × (137 − Na) − 0.033 × MELD × (137 − Na), capped at 40.

What MELD score qualifies for liver transplant listing?

There is no fixed MELD cutoff for listing — transplant centers evaluate candidates based on clinical judgment, disease etiology, comorbidities, and likelihood of benefit. In practice, MELD ≥ 15 is often where transplant offers net survival benefit over continued medical management. Patients with MELD < 15 may still be listed if other factors (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma MELD exception points) apply.

What is MELD 3.0 and does this calculator use it?

MELD 3.0 (Kim et al., Hepatology 2021) was developed to address the female sex disparity in transplant access. It adds a female sex indicator, albumin, and recalibrated coefficients. UNOS began phasing in MELD 3.0 in 2022. This calculator computes the classic MELD and MELD-Na formulas used for educational reference; official transplant allocation uses the UNOS-registered MELD 3.0 formula.

Is this tool suitable for clinical decision-making?

No. This calculator is for educational purposes only. All MELD scores used in transplant listing or clinical management decisions must be calculated and verified by qualified transplant hepatologists using official UNOS/OPTN-compliant systems. Do not use this tool as the sole basis for any treatment or listing decision.

MELD Score Calculator

Name: MELD Score Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter INR, bilirubin, creatinine, and sodium to calculate the MELD and MELD-Na score for liver transplant waitlist prioritization.

For educational use only. MELD scores used for official liver transplant listing must be verified through UNOS/OPTN-compliant systems by qualified transplant clinicians.

1 Laboratory Values

Use the most recent values. See notes below for dialysis patients.

INR (International Normalized Ratio)

Normal: ~1.0. Values below 1.0 are set to 1.0 in the MELD formula.

Serum Bilirubin (mg/dL)

Total bilirubin. Normal: 0.2–1.2 mg/dL. Values below 1.0 are set to 1.0.

Serum Creatinine (mg/dL)

Normal: 0.6–1.2 mg/dL. Values below 1.0 are set to 1.0; values above 4.0 are capped at 4.0.

Patient on dialysis at least twice in the past week (sets creatinine to 4.0)

Serum Sodium (mEq/L) — for MELD-Na

Normal: 135–145 mEq/L. Sodium below 125 is set to 125; above 137 is set to 137 in the MELD-Na adjustment formula.

Formula Reference

MELD = 3.78 × ln(Bilirubin) + 11.2 × ln(INR) + 9.57 × ln(Creatinine) + 6.43

MELD-Na = MELD + 1.32 × (137 − Na) − [0.033 × MELD × (137 − Na)]

All logarithms are natural (ln). Lab values below 1.0 are floored at 1.0 before applying ln. Creatinine is capped at 4.0 mg/dL. Final scores are rounded to the nearest integer and reported in the range 6–40.

Enter lab values on the left
and click Calculate.

MELD Score — 90-Day Mortality Reference

MELD Score	Approx. 90-Day Mortality	Risk Category	Clinical Context
< 9	1.9%	Very Low	Compensated cirrhosis; monitor closely
10–19	6–19%	Low–Moderate	Consider transplant evaluation if MELD ≥ 15
20–29	19–52%	High	Active listing usually indicated
30–39	52–71%	Very High	High-urgency listing; consider ICU-level care
≥ 40	> 71%	Critical	Highest urgency; goals-of-care discussion

Mortality estimates derived from Kamath PS et al. (Hepatology 2001) and UNOS data. Individual outcomes vary. MELD ≥ 15 is the threshold at which transplant typically confers survival benefit over medical management.

Summary

Enter INR, bilirubin, creatinine, and sodium to calculate the MELD and MELD-Na score for liver transplant waitlist prioritization.

How it works

Enter the patient's INR (International Normalized Ratio) from the most recent blood test.
Enter the serum total bilirubin in mg/dL.
Enter the serum creatinine in mg/dL; if the patient is on dialysis twice weekly, enter 4.0.
Enter the serum sodium in mEq/L for the MELD-Na calculation.
Click Calculate to compute MELD, MELD-Na, and the estimated 90-day mortality.
Review the score breakdown and risk interpretation in the results panel.

Use cases

Determine liver transplant waitlist priority according to UNOS/OPTN allocation policy.
Estimate 90-day mortality risk in patients with cirrhosis or acute-on-chronic liver failure.
Guide clinical decisions about timing of liver transplant evaluation referral.
Monitor disease progression by calculating MELD serially over time.
Stratify patients for inclusion in clinical trials studying chronic liver disease.
Educate medical students and residents on evidence-based liver disease prognostication.
Compare calculated MELD to institutional or registry benchmarks.
Assess hyponatremia impact on prognosis using MELD-Na.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: 2026-05-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu