Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Predicts Mortality After Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis

Radakovic and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in predicting long-term survival after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis, using outcomes for 79 patients from their center. The MELD score, an established measure of liver function, was an independent predictor of 1-year mortality after pericardiectomy, and overall survival decreased as the MELD score increased. The authors conclude that assessment of liver dysfunction using the MELD score provides an additional tool to evaluate the risk of pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis.