New MELD Calculator That incorporates Low Serum Sodium Goes Live Jan 2016

General
#1

I came across this posting on another board today and thought I would pass it along. I had heard about this sometime back but had not looked into it. Any comments from the group may be of benefit to others.

With Serum Sodium incorporated into the new MELD-Na calculator (to be launched January 2016), liver patients could get as much as 11 additional MELD points! https://www.transplantpro.org/news/li/upcoming-meld-serum-sodium-policy-implementation/

Mark

#2

Not sure if this is apples to apples, but my blood work shows sodium at 138 mmoI/L. Have no clue if that is the same as serum sodium, and have not seen this term in any of my blood work.

Does anyone know that sodium is the same as serum sodium, or if it requires a separate test or am I not reading something right in my charts?

Jeff

#3

Jeff,

I did a little searching trying to compare serum sodium with regular sodium and the only thing that I could find different was if they check the sodium level using a urine test. It appears this is the same as regular sodium test although I'm not for certain. Take a look at this link. http://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003481.html

Mark

JeffDC said:

Not sure if this is apples to apples, but my blood work show sodium at 138 mmoI/L. Have no clue if that is the same as serum sodium, and have not seen this term in any of my blood work.

Does anyone know that sodium is the same as serum sodium, or if it requires a separate test or am I not reading something right in my charts?

Jeff

#4

Additionally, using the serum sodium normal levels your level is normal. Normal range is 135-145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).

fcmmark said:

Jeff,

I did a little searching trying to compare serum sodium with regular sodium and the only thing that I could find different was if they check the sodium level using a urine test. It appears this is the same as regular sodium test although I'm not for certain. Take a look at this link. http://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003481.html

Mark

JeffDC said:

Not sure if this is apples to apples, but my blood work show sodium at 138 mmoI/L. Have no clue if that is the same as serum sodium, and have not seen this term in any of my blood work.

Does anyone know that sodium is the same as serum sodium, or if it requires a separate test or am I not reading something right in my charts?

Jeff

#5

Thanks for checking, Mark. Sometimes trying to figure out the right terminology for comparison can be tricky.

I like being "normal".

Jeff

fcmmark said:

Jeff,

I did a little searching trying to compare serum sodium with regular sodium and the only thing that I could find different was if they check the sodium level using a urine test. It appears this is the same as regular sodium test although I'm not for certain. Take a look at this link. http://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003481.html

Mark

JeffDC said:

Not sure if this is apples to apples, but my blood work show sodium at 138 mmoI/L. Have no clue if that is the same as serum sodium, and have not seen this term in any of my blood work.

Does anyone know that sodium is the same as serum sodium, or if it requires a separate test or am I not reading something right in my charts?

Jeff

#6

At least this new one will benefit greatly those with cirrhosis.