Actual and Estimated One-year Mortality Risk across MELD and MELDNa in Patients with and without Ascites
a. The one-year mortality risk curve representing patients with ascites deviated from those without ascites especially when MELD was less than 21. In this range, MELD underestimated mortality risk in the presence of ascites.
b. Similarly, the one-year mortality risk curve representing patients with ascites deviated from those without ascites when MELDNa was less than 21.
c. The risk associated with ascites was captured using a linear spline, equal to 21-MELDNa for patients with ascites and MELDNa scores < 21, and zero for all other patients. When MELDNa is less than 21 and ascites is present (black line), mortality risk can be estimated by adding 0.86 MELDNa points for every unit decrease in MELDNa below 21.