Sarco-Model: A score to predict the dropout risk in the perspective of organ allocation in patients awaiting liver transplantation

BACKGROUND & AIMS Sarcopenia in liver transplantation (LT) cirrhotic candidates has been connected with higher dropouts and graft losses after transplant. The study aims to create an 'urgency' model combining sarcopenia and Model for End-stage Liver Disease Sodium (MELDNa) to predict the risk of dropout and identify an appropriate threshold of post-LT futility. METHODS A total of 1087 adult cirrhotic patients were listed for a first LT during January 2012 to December 2018. The study population was split into a training (n = 855) and a validation set (n = 232). RESULTS Using a competing-risk analysis of cause-specific hazards, we created the Sarco-Model2 . According to the model, one extra point of MELDNa was added for each 0.5 cm2 /m2 reduction of total psoas area (TPA)