Impact of Model for End-stage Liver Disease Score in Post-Liver Transplantation Prognosis

Although the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score has been used to evaluate mortality of patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation, it has not established if it correlates with post-liver transplantation prognosis. The aim of this study is to assess if there is a relationship between pretransplantation MELD and post-transplantation results, especially regarding 30-day post-LT survival rates. We analyzed data from 172 patients who underwent deceased-donor liver transplantation between February 2013 and May 2015 in a single center. The sample was divided in two groups according to their MELD scores: group 1, with MELD <25 (n = 134), and group 2, with MELD ≥25 (n = 38). The groups were compared with regard to 1-, 3-, and 12-month postoperative survival; total length of stay and in intensive care unit; and perioperative blood transfusion. The global 30-day post-liver transplantation survival rate was 87.2% (89.55% for group 1 and 78.99% for group 2 (P = .090). The evaluation of 3- and 12-month survival showed that in group 2 the mortality was higher (P = .01). Our data suggests a positive relationship between the higher MELD group and longer length of stay in intensive care unit (P = .0345), but not for total time of hospital admission (P = .524). Perioperative blood product transfusion was needed in 35.82% of patients in group 1 and 71.05% in group 2; this correlated with a higher 30- day postoperative mortality (P < .001).