Child-Pugh / MELD Score Calculator

Calculate Child-Pugh class and MELD score for chronic liver disease severity.

About Child-Pugh / MELD Score Calculator

Child-Pugh includes clinical findings such as ascites and encephalopathy while MELD uses only laboratory values, which makes MELD more objective and reproducible. MELD values are clamped at both ends by convention. The two scores answer different questions: Child-Pugh describes current functional compromise while MELD predicts short-term mortality for allocation purposes.

Formula

Child-Pugh / MELD Score

Child-Pugh sums five graded variables; MELD = 3.78·ln(bili) + 11.2·ln(INR) + 9.57·ln(creat) + 6.43

Child-Pugh: Five variables each scored 1 to 3, giving 5 to 15
MELD: A continuous score from 6 to 40 used for transplant prioritisation

Worked example

With the default values below, Child-Pugh / MELD Score Calculator returns Child-Pugh Score of 8. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Total bilirubinminimum 1 umol/L: 40 umol/L
Serum albuminminimum 5 g/L: 32 g/L
INRminimum 0.5: 1.6
Serum creatinineminimum 1 umol/L: 100 umol/L
Ascitesone of None, Slight, Moderate or severe: Slight
Encephalopathyone of None, Grade 1 to 2, Grade 3 to 4: None

Results

Child-Pugh Score: 8 /15
Child-Pugh Class: Class B, significant functional compromise
MELD Score: 16
Total Bilirubin: 2.339 mg/dL
Serum Creatinine: 1.131 mg/dL

Step by step

1Values used
2Child-Pugh / MELD Score
3Child-Pugh Score= 8 /15
4Child-Pugh Class= Class B, significant functional compromise
5MELD Score= 16
6Total Bilirubin= 2.339 mg/dL
7Serum Creatinine= 1.131 mg/dL

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 6 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This reproduces a published formula for educational and reference use only. It is not a diagnostic tool, does not account for individual clinical context, and must not be used to make or change treatment decisions. Clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare professional is always required. These scores are prognostic aids used by specialists alongside full clinical assessment. Variants such as MELD-Na and MELD 3.0 are now used in some allocation systems.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This reproduces a published formula for educational and reference use only. It is not a diagnostic tool, does not account for individual clinical context, and must not be used to make or change treatment decisions. Clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare professional is always required. These scores are prognostic aids used by specialists alongside full clinical assessment. Variants such as MELD-Na and MELD 3.0 are now used in some allocation systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Child-Pugh / MELD Score calculated?

Child-Pugh sums five graded variables; MELD = 3.78·ln(bili) + 11.2·ln(INR) + 9.57·ln(creat) + 6.43 Child-Pugh includes clinical findings such as ascites and encephalopathy while MELD uses only laboratory values, which makes MELD more objective and reproducible. MELD values are clamped at both ends by convention.

Why does Child-Pugh / MELD Score matter?

The two scores answer different questions: Child-Pugh describes current functional compromise while MELD predicts short-term mortality for allocation purposes.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 6 inputs: Total bilirubin, Serum albumin, INR, Serum creatinine, Ascites, Encephalopathy. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.