CURB-65
CURB-65 - a deterministic tool in Sophie Well's Clinical Scoring & Risk group.
Open the CURB-65 → Runs in your browser. No signup, no tracking.
What this is
Score CURB-65 for community-acquired pneumonia severity. Sophie Well sums one point each for Confusion, Urea >7 mmol/L (BUN >19 mg/dL), Respiratory rate >=30, Blood pressure (systolic <90 or diastolic <=60), and Age >=65, returning the total (0-5) plus the conventional 30-day mortality band that maps to outpatient, short-stay, or ICU consideration. Source: Lim WS et al, Thorax 2003.
When to use it
Use CURB-65 to inform the admit-vs-discharge conversation for adult CAP in primary care or the ED. PSI (Fine score) is a more granular alternative when the inputs are available. Neither score replaces clinical judgment in immunocompromise, hemodynamic instability, hypoxia, or social factors that preclude safe outpatient management.
References
Lim WS, et al. Defining community acquired pneumonia severity. Thorax. 2003;58(5):377-382. Read the source ↗
Worked example: CURB-65 2 (consider hospitalization).
Sophie Well is a reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Does not replace clinician judgment, professional billing review, or legal counsel.