MELD Score Calculator — MELD & MELD-Na
Compute the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and MELD-Na scores from serum bilirubin, INR, creatinine and sodium, using the published Kamath et al. formula with the UNOS/OPTN allocation rules (value clamp at 1, creatinine cap at 4.0, dialysis rule, sodium bounds).
Enter laboratory values
Your result
Worked calculation
3-month mortality bands (published group data)
| MELD score | Observed 3-month mortality |
|---|---|
| 9 or less | 1.9% |
| 10–19 | 6.0% |
| 20–29 | 19.6% |
| 30–39 | 52.6% |
| 40 | 71.3% |
Source: published allocation cohort (Wiesner et al., Gastroenterology 2003). These are group-level observed rates in research populations — not a personal prediction. Individual outcomes vary; discuss with a clinician.
How the score is calculated
- Convert units if needed: bilirubin µmol/L ÷ 17.1 = mg/dL; creatinine µmol/L ÷ 88.4 = mg/dL.
- Apply UNOS/OPTN rules: any value below 1.0 is raised to 1.0; creatinine is capped at 4.0 mg/dL; dialysis ≥2× in the past 7 days sets creatinine to 4.0 mg/dL.
- Round the result to a whole number; the reported score ranges from 6 to 40.
- MELD-Na: if MELD > 11, MELDNa = MELD + 1.32×(137−Na) − 0.033×MELD×(137−Na), with sodium clamped to 125–137 mmol/L. If MELD ≤ 11, MELD-Na = MELD.
Formula: Kamath et al., Hepatology 2001. Sodium variant: Biggins et al., Gastroenterology 2006; adopted by OPTN/UNOS (2016).
About this MELD calculator
This free online meld calculator computes both the meld score and the meld na score from the published meld score formula for the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease. If you are looking for an end stage liver disease score calculator, this page is it: enter serum bilirubin, INR and creatinine — the three meld score components — and the calculator shows the full meld score bilirubin inr creatinine breakdown. You will also find how to calculate meld score step by step, the meld score interpretation table with meld score 3 month mortality figures, and comparisons of meld score vs child-pugh, meld score vs fib-4, and meld score vs apri.
As a prognosis score, the MELD score requires correct units and allocation rules. This model for end-stage liver disease calculator applies the meld score conversion umol/l to mg/dl automatically (bilirubin ÷ 17.1, creatinine ÷ 88.4), the meld score dialysis rule (dialysis ≥2× in 7 days sets creatinine to 4.0), the creatinine cap meld 4.0, and the meld sodium clamp 125 137. The meld na formula is applied only when MELD is greater than 11. The meld score chart in the results section maps your score to the published mortality band, and the meld score for liver transplant context is explained alongside it.
Related liver scoring tools
Liver disease severity score combining labs with clinical signs (ascites, encephalopathy) — the score MELD replaced for transplant allocation.
Estimates liver fibrosis (scarring) from age, AST, ALT and platelets — a fibrosis staging score, not a mortality score.
AST-to-platelet ratio for liver fibrosis screening — different question than MELD's mortality estimate.
Prognosis score for acute alcoholic hepatitis — a different formula for a different condition.
Scope boundary: this page covers the MELD and MELD-Na mortality/allocation scores only. Use the Child-Pugh tool for the clinical classification system, FIB-4 or APRI for fibrosis staging, and the Discriminant Function for alcoholic hepatitis.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MELD score?
The MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score estimates the severity of chronic liver disease from three objective laboratory values: serum bilirubin, INR and serum creatinine. It was developed by Kamath and colleagues (2001) to predict 3-month mortality and is used by UNOS/OPTN to prioritize liver transplant allocation. This tool is an educational estimate only and is not medical advice.
How is the MELD score calculated?
The formula is MELD = 3.78 × ln(bilirubin mg/dL) + 11.2 × ln(INR) + 9.57 × ln(creatinine mg/dL) + 6.43, where ln is the natural logarithm. UNOS/OPTN rules then apply: any value below 1.0 is raised to 1.0, creatinine is capped at 4.0 mg/dL, and patients dialyzed at least twice in the past 7 days are assigned a creatinine of 4.0 mg/dL. The result is rounded to a whole number between 6 and 40.
What is the MELD-Na score and when is sodium included?
MELD-Na adjusts the MELD score for serum sodium because hyponatremia predicts additional mortality in cirrhosis. The formula is MELDNa = MELD + 1.32 × (137 − Na) − 0.033 × MELD × (137 − Na). Per OPTN policy, sodium is clamped between 125 and 137 mmol/L, and the sodium adjustment is only applied when the MELD score is greater than 11; otherwise MELD-Na equals MELD.
How do I convert bilirubin and creatinine from µmol/L to mg/dL?
Divide bilirubin in µmol/L by 17.1 to get mg/dL, and divide creatinine in µmol/L by 88.4 to get mg/dL. For example, a bilirubin of 100 µmol/L equals about 5.85 mg/dL, and a creatinine of 200 µmol/L equals about 2.26 mg/dL. This calculator performs the conversion automatically when you select µmol/L as the unit.
How does dialysis affect the MELD score?
If a patient has been dialyzed at least twice in the past 7 days, UNOS/OPTN rules set the serum creatinine value to 4.0 mg/dL regardless of the measured value, because dialysis artificially lowers the measured creatinine. This calculator applies that rule automatically when you tick the dialysis option.
How are MELD scores interpreted, and what do the mortality percentages mean?
In the published allocation cohort, observed 3-month mortality was: score 9 or less, 1.9 percent; 10 to 19, 6.0 percent; 20 to 29, 19.6 percent; 30 to 39, 52.6 percent; and 40, 71.3 percent. These are group-level figures from published research, not personal predictions — an individual outcome can differ. Discuss results with a clinician.
What is the difference between MELD and Child-Pugh scores?
Both assess liver disease severity, but MELD uses only three objective laboratory values (bilirubin, INR, creatinine), while the Child-Pugh score combines bilirubin, albumin and INR with clinical assessments of ascites and encephalopathy. MELD replaced Child-Pugh for liver transplant allocation in the United States because it is fully objective.
What is the difference between MELD, FIB-4 and APRI?
MELD predicts short-term mortality and determines transplant priority, while FIB-4 and APRI estimate the degree of liver fibrosis (scarring) using different markers such as AST, ALT, platelets and age. They answer different clinical questions: MELD is about how sick a patient is now, whereas FIB-4 and APRI are about how scarred the liver is.
Why is the MELD score capped between 6 and 40?
The raw formula naturally bottoms out at 6.43 when all laboratory values are at or below 1.0, which rounds to 6, representing the healthiest baseline. UNOS caps reported scores at 40 for transplant allocation, because above 40 the published mortality bands stop discriminating further. This calculator applies both bounds.
Can the MELD score change over time, and what is MELD 3.0?
Yes. The MELD score is recalculated whenever new laboratory results are available, and it can rise or fall as the patient's condition changes. MELD 3.0 is a newer OPTN variant that adds albumin and a sex adjustment; this calculator uses the classic MELD and MELD-Na formulas, which remain the most widely referenced.
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