the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a scoring system used to assess the severity of liver disease in patients. It helps predict the risk of death within three months and is crucial for prioritizing patients for liver transplants. The score is calculated using three key blood test results: bilirubin, creatinine, and the International Normalized Ratio (INR) for blood clotting. Higher MELD scores indicate more severe liver damage and a higher urgency for transplantation, ensuring that those in greatest need receive timely medical intervention.