Q&A Set Based on the MELD-Plus Study
Based on: Kartoun U, Corey KE, Simon TG, Zheng H, Aggarwal R, Ng K, Shaw SY. The MELD-
Plus: A generalizable prediction risk score in cirrhosis. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(10):e0186301.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186301
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the primary goal of the MELD-Plus score?
A. To predict which cirrhosis patients will need a transplant within 30 days
B. To determine the cause of cirrhosis in patients
C. To predict 90-day post-discharge mortality in patients with cirrhosis-related
admissions
D. To monitor liver enzyme levels in healthy individuals
Answer: C
2. Which of the following is NOT a variable used in the MELD-Plus 9-variable model?
A. White blood cell count (WBC)
B. Albumin
C. Hemoglobin
D. Age
Answer: C
3. What was one of the key advantages of MELD-Plus over traditional MELD or MELD-
Na scores?
A. It used unstructured EMR data like clinical notes
B. It was less accurate but easier to calculate
C. It included only laboratory tests
D. It showed higher AUROC values for predicting mortality
Answer: D
4. What statistical method was used to select the most predictive variables for MELD-
Plus?
A. Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
B. Adaptive LASSO logistic regression
C. Random Forest
D. Cox Proportional Hazards Model
Answer: B
Part B: Short Answer Questions
5. Why might including cholesterol as a predictor in MELD-Plus seem counterintuitive at
first?
Based on: Kartoun U, Corey KE, Simon TG, Zheng H, Aggarwal R, Ng K, Shaw SY. The MELD-
Plus: A generalizable prediction risk score in cirrhosis. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(10):e0186301.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186301
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the primary goal of the MELD-Plus score?
A. To predict which cirrhosis patients will need a transplant within 30 days
B. To determine the cause of cirrhosis in patients
C. To predict 90-day post-discharge mortality in patients with cirrhosis-related
admissions
D. To monitor liver enzyme levels in healthy individuals
Answer: C
2. Which of the following is NOT a variable used in the MELD-Plus 9-variable model?
A. White blood cell count (WBC)
B. Albumin
C. Hemoglobin
D. Age
Answer: C
3. What was one of the key advantages of MELD-Plus over traditional MELD or MELD-
Na scores?
A. It used unstructured EMR data like clinical notes
B. It was less accurate but easier to calculate
C. It included only laboratory tests
D. It showed higher AUROC values for predicting mortality
Answer: D
4. What statistical method was used to select the most predictive variables for MELD-
Plus?
A. Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
B. Adaptive LASSO logistic regression
C. Random Forest
D. Cox Proportional Hazards Model
Answer: B
Part B: Short Answer Questions
5. Why might including cholesterol as a predictor in MELD-Plus seem counterintuitive at
first?
