title: Does model for end-stage liver disease score predict the short-term outcome of living donor liver transplantation?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive ability of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score for short-term outcomes after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The 135 consecutive patients who underwent LDLT did not include prisoners or their organs. Patients were divided into a low (group A; MELD score <15), a moderate (group B; MELD score ≥15 but <25), and a high MELD score (group C; MELD score ≥25) group according to their preoperative score. We retrospectively analyzed the data concerning complications, biochemical parameters, and survival over 90 postoperative days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complications were similar among patients with a low, moderate, or high MELD score. The 90-day survival rates of group A, B, and C were 88%, 90%, and 90%, respectively (P = .960). Compared with groups A and B, group C showed a longer mean intensive care unit (ICU) stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative MELD score may not help to predict short-term outcomes of LDLT. However, a high MELD score may be related to a prolonged ICU stay.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007902:Length of Stay; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome