MELD-Na Score Calculator
Enter the most recent lab values. This tool applies standard MELD-Na conventions (minimum and maximum bounds) before calculating the score.
What is the MELD-Na score?
MELD-Na is a liver disease severity score used to help estimate short-term mortality risk in patients with advanced liver disease. It builds on the original MELD score by incorporating sodium, which improves risk prediction in many cirrhosis patients.
Inputs used in this calculator
- Total bilirubin: reflects how well the liver is clearing bile pigments.
- INR: reflects blood clotting function and synthetic liver capacity.
- Creatinine: reflects kidney function; kidney injury strongly impacts prognosis.
- Sodium: low sodium (hyponatremia) is linked with worse outcomes.
- Dialysis status: if on dialysis at least twice in one week, creatinine is set to 4.0 mg/dL for scoring.
Formula summary
Step 1: MELD
MELD = 3.78 × ln(bilirubin) + 11.2 × ln(INR) + 9.57 × ln(creatinine) + 6.43
Standard conventions are applied: bilirubin, INR, and creatinine are floored at 1.0; creatinine is capped at 4.0. The MELD score is then rounded and bounded to 6–40.
Step 2: MELD-Na
MELD-Na = MELD + 1.32 × (137 − sodium) − [0.033 × MELD × (137 − sodium)]
Sodium is bounded to 125–137 mEq/L for the formula, then the final MELD-Na is rounded and typically constrained to 6–40.
How to interpret score ranges (general guidance)
- MELD-Na 6–9: lower short-term risk.
- MELD-Na 10–19: moderate risk.
- MELD-Na 20–29: high risk.
- MELD-Na 30–39: very high risk.
- MELD-Na 40: extremely high risk.
Different centers may use additional criteria (diagnosis-specific factors, exceptions, trajectory, and complications), so this score should always be interpreted in full clinical context.
Practical tips for use
- Use recent, reliable laboratory results from the same time period.
- Verify units (mg/dL for bilirubin and creatinine; mEq/L for sodium).
- Repeat calculations when new labs arrive, because trends matter.
- Escalate urgent symptoms immediately; calculators are not triage tools.
Medical disclaimer
This page is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For transplant decisions, prognosis counseling, and urgent care, consult a qualified clinician.