MELD / MELD-Na Calculator
Use this tool to estimate MELD and MELD-Na scores from standard lab values.
What is the MELD score?
MELD stands for Model for End-Stage Liver Disease. It is a clinical scoring system used to estimate the severity of chronic liver disease based on objective lab values. People often search for a “Mayo MELD calculator” because Mayo Clinic helped develop and popularize MELD in transplant medicine.
In practical terms, a higher MELD score usually means a higher short-term risk of serious complications and mortality. It is commonly used in liver transplant prioritization systems, though local policies and clinical judgment still matter.
Inputs used in this calculator
Core MELD labs
- Bilirubin: reflects how well the liver clears bile pigments.
- INR: reflects blood clotting function, influenced by liver synthetic function.
- Creatinine: reflects kidney function, which strongly affects liver disease outcomes.
MELD-Na addition
MELD-Na adds sodium because hyponatremia is associated with worse outcomes in advanced liver disease. If you enter sodium, this page calculates both MELD and MELD-Na.
How the formula is applied
This calculator uses the standard natural-log MELD equation and common clinical caps/floors:
- Minimum input value floor of 1.0 for bilirubin, INR, and creatinine in the logarithmic equation.
- Creatinine capped at 4.0 mg/dL.
- If dialysis is selected, creatinine is set to 4.0 mg/dL for MELD calculation.
- MELD and MELD-Na are constrained to a typical 6–40 score range.
- For MELD-Na, sodium is bounded between 125 and 137 mEq/L.
How to interpret the number
Interpretation varies by context, but a quick rule is simple: higher score = higher clinical risk. Approximate historic 3-month mortality bands are shown below for orientation:
| MELD Range | Approximate 3-Month Mortality |
|---|---|
| ≤ 9 | ~1.9% |
| 10–19 | ~6.0% |
| 20–29 | ~19.6% |
| 30–39 | ~52.6% |
| ≥ 40 | ~71.3% |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing units (for example, not using mg/dL for bilirubin/creatinine).
- Entering old labs rather than the most recent values.
- Ignoring the dialysis adjustment.
- Treating one score as a full medical assessment.
When to seek urgent care
If there are red-flag symptoms such as confusion, vomiting blood, black stools, severe abdominal swelling, fever, jaundice worsening quickly, or reduced urine output, seek emergency care immediately. The score itself is not a substitute for urgent evaluation.
Bottom line
A MELD calculator can help you understand disease severity trends and prepare for discussions with your care team. Use it to support questions, not to replace medical guidance. If you want the best interpretation, pair the result with your full clinical picture and specialist input.