Logo image
Are MELD and MELDNa Still Reliable Tools to Predict Mortality on the Liver Transplant Waiting List?
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Are MELD and MELDNa Still Reliable Tools to Predict Mortality on the Liver Transplant Waiting List?

Marta Tejedor, Nazia Selzner and Marina Berenguer
Transplantation, Vol.106(11), pp.2122-2136
11/01/2022
DOI: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004163
PMID: 35594480
url
https://hdl.handle.net/10550/95363View
Open Access

Abstract

Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment for end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately, the scarcity of donor organs and the increasing pool of potential recipients limit access to this life-saving procedure. Allocation should account for medical and ethical factors, ensuring equal access to transplantation regardless of recipient's gender, race, religion, or income. Based on their short-term prognosis prediction, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and MELD sodium (MELDNa) have been widely used to prioritize patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation resulting in a significant decrease in waiting list mortality/removal. Recent concern has been raised regarding the prognostic accuracy of MELD and MELDNa due, in part, to changes in recipients' profile such as body mass index, comorbidities, and general condition, including nutritional status and cause of liver disease, among others. This review aims to provide a comprehensive view of the current state of MELD and MELDNa advantages and limitations and promising alternatives. Finally, it will explore future options to increase the donor pool and improve donor-recipient matching.
Immunology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology Surgery Transplantation

Details

Metrics

Logo image