THE USE OF MELD SCORE (MODEL FOR END-STAGE LIVER DISEASE) AND DERIVATIVES IN CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION

Child-Turcotte-Pugh versus MELD-XI identify distinct high-risk populations for heart transplantation following ventricular assist device placement

BACKGROUND

Patients with end-stage heart failure frequently have significant congestive hepatopathy requiring hepatology assessment prior to heart transplantation listing. An elevated Model for End-stage Liver Disease score with modification to exclude INR (MELD-XI) has been associated with increased mortality following heart transplantation (HT). This study's primary aim was to examine whether Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classification is associated with post-transplant mortality in patients bridged to transplant with left ventricular assist devices.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 134 patients from our center. Age, CTP class, and MELD-XI at HT were included in the multivariate model for the primary outcome, which demonstrated a significant association between 1-year mortality and CTP class (CTP-A HR: .08, CI .01-.46, P < .01; CTP-B HR: .25, CI .05-1.2, P = .08; reference group CTP-C), and MELD-XI (HR: 1.15; CI: 1.03-1.28; P = .01), but no significant difference for age (HR: .97; CI: .93-1.01; P = .15). Only 13/33 patients with CTP improvement after assist device also had improvement in MELD-XI.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with relatively low MELD-XI scores with discordantly high CTP classification may be a distinct subset for whom MELD-XI underestimates the risk of mortality after heart transplantation compared to CTP.

Relationship between right atrial pressure and the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in patients with advanced heart failure

Background

This study aims to investigate the association between right atrial pressure and the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and to evaluate the ability of this scoring system to accurately predict the value of right atrial pressure.

Methods

Between April 2016 and November 2018, a total of 137 patients (118 males, 19 females; median age: 49 years; range, 40 to 54 years) with advanced heart failure who were candidates for left ventricular assist device implantation or heart transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. We developed a formula calculated by using the biochemical and cardiac catheterization parameters of the patients.

Results

There was a strong correlation between the right atrial pressure and the scores (r=0.510, p<0.001). The estimated right atrial pressure was calculated as "2 + (0.92 x Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score)" (unstandardized coefficient 0.920, t value 7.674, p<0.001). The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was found to be an independent predictor of high right atrial pressure (odds ratio=1.491, 95% confidence interval: 1.244-1.786, p<0.001). The calculated area under the curve was 0.789 (95% confidence interval: 0.710-0.867, p<0.001) and the cut-off value of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score in the prediction of high right atrial pressure was 10.5 with 75% sensitivity and 73% specificity.

Conclusion

We define a method to calculate right atrial pressure obtained by using the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score without the need for cardiac catheterization during the hospitalization and follow-up period of patients with advanced heart failure.

Comparison of Scores for Child-Pugh Criteria and Standard and Modified Models for End-Stage Liver Disease to Assess Cardiac Hepatopathy in Heart Transplant Recipients

OBJECTIVES

Congestive hepatopathy as a result of advanced heart failure correlates with poor outcomes. Thus, risk-scoring systems have been established to assess the risks for cardiac surgery and hearttransplant, although these systems were originally designed to measure mortality risk in patients with end-stage liver disease. We compared the scores for the Child-Pugh criteria andstandardandmodifiedModels for End-Stage LiverDisease to evaluate the effect of preoperative liver dysfunction on postoperative outcomes inpatients with heart failure who underwent heart transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data of 60 consecutive patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplant were analyzed from a historical cohort study from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. We calculated the scores for Child-Pugh criteria and the standard and modified Models for End-Stage Liver Disease.

RESULTS

Of the 60 total patients, 48 were male patients, with a median age of 43 years (range, 13-69 years). Twenty patients died before the end of the study. The causes of death were cardiac, liver, and renal diseases. The mortality risk increased 25% (interquartile range, 0.05-0.51) for the patients with 1 point higher score compared with the patients with 1 point lower score based on a modified Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative liver dysfunction has a significant effect on patient survival. The modified Modelfor End-Stage LiverDisease scoring system could be an effective predictor of perioperative risk stratification for patients with congestive hepatopathy who are undergoing cardiac transplant.

IMPACT OF MELD SODIUM ON LIVER TRANSPLANTATION WAITING LIST

Background:

Serum sodium was incorporated to MELD score for the allocation of liver transplantation In the USA in 2016. Hyponatremia significantly increased the efficacy of the score to predict mortality on the waiting list. Such modification was not adopted in Brazil.

Aim:

To carry out a simulation using MELD-Na as waiting list ordering criteria in the state of Paraná and to compare to the list ordered according to MELD score.

Methods:

The study used data of 122 patients waiting for hepatic transplantation and listed at Parana´s Transplantation Central. Two classificatory lists were set up, one with MELD, the current qualifying criteria, and another with MELD-Na. We analyzed the changes on classification comparing these two lists.

Results:

Among all patients, 95.1% of the participants changed position, 30.3% showed improvement, 64.8% presented worsening and 4.9% maintained their position. There were 19 patients with hyponatremia, of whom 94.7% presented a change of position, and in all of them there was an improvement of position. One hundred and one patients presented sodium within the normal range and 95% of them presented a change of position: Improved placement was observed in 18.8%, and worsened placement in 76.2%. Two patients presented hypernatremia and changed their position, both worsening the placement. There was a significant different behavior on waiting list according to sodium serum level when MELD-Na was applied.

Conclusion:

The inclusion of serum sodium caused a great impact in the classification, bringing benefit to patients with hyponatremia.