Value of MELD to Assess the Short-term Prognosis of Patients with Chronic Liver Failure

[Objective] To assess the value of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) on the short-term prognosis in the patients with chronic liver failure(chronic and severe hepatitis B). [Methods] The clinical information of 164 patients with chronic liver failure was collected. The patients were divided into two groups, including cirrhosis group and non-cirrhosis group (chronic hepatitis group). All the patients were valued by MELD. The relationship was analyzed between the value of MELD and the prognosis of the patients. [Results] (1) The values of MELD in all patients were no less than 20. They were 31.89±1.07 in cirrhosis group (n=46) and 34.03±0.81 in chronic hepatitis group (n=118)respectively. The value of MELD in cirrhosis group had no significant difference from that in chronic hepatitis group (P 0.05). The patients' onset of chronic liver failure based on cirrhosis might have no important effect on the short-term prognosis. (2) The death rates were 42.4% (28/66), 73.2%(52/71), and 96.2%(26/27) in the patients with 20≤MELD30, 30≤MELD40, and MELD≥40, respectively. The higher the MELD value, the higher the death rate. [Conclusions] MEDL system was an effective method to predict the short-term prognosis in the patients with chronic liver failure.