What is the CURB-65 score used for?

CURB-65 helps assess severity of community-acquired pneumonia and supports decisions about outpatient vs inpatient care.

What does a CURB-65 score of 0–1 mean?

Usually low risk—many patients can be treated as outpatients if otherwise stable.

What does a CURB-65 score of 2 mean?

Moderate risk—often consider hospital-supervised treatment or short stay.

What does a CURB-65 score of 3–5 mean?

Higher risk—urgent hospital admission is commonly recommended; consider ICU for very high scores or instability.

Is CURB-65 valid for all pneumonia types?

It’s primarily for community-acquired pneumonia in adults; other tools may be used for different contexts.

CURB-65 Calculator (Pneumonia Severity Score)

Stratify community-acquired pneumonia severity and support outpatient vs inpatient care decisions.

Confusion (new disorientation to person, place, or time) (+1)

Urea >7 mmol/L (BUN >19 mg/dL) (+1)

Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min (+1)

Blood pressure (SBP <90 mmHg or DBP ≤60 mmHg) (+1)

Age ≥65 years (+1)

Educational use only. Severity scores must be interpreted with full clinical assessment and local protocols.

How it works

CURB-65 assigns 1 point for each of five features at presentation: new confusion, raised urea, respiratory rate ≥30, low blood pressure, and age ≥65.

Higher scores are associated with higher short-term mortality and can support decisions about outpatient care, hospital admission, and escalation.

Criteria

C — Confusion (new) U — Urea >7 mmol/L (BUN >19 mg/dL) R — Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min B — Blood pressure: SBP <90 or DBP ≤60 mmHg 65 — Age ≥65 years

Worked examples

Example 1: Age ≥65 only → score 1

Selected: Age ≥65 (+1) CURB-65 = 1 / 5 Typical guidance: low risk → often outpatient (if otherwise stable)

Example 2: RR ≥30 and SBP <90 → score 2

Selected: RR ≥30 (+1), Low BP (+1) CURB-65 = 2 / 5 Typical guidance: moderate risk → consider admission / close monitoring

Clinical safety note: Severity scores do not replace clinical judgement. Oxygen requirement, sepsis features, comorbidities, frailty, and social supports may change disposition even when CURB-65 is low.

Related calculators

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

Consciousness assessment

Wells Score (DVT)

DVT probability estimate

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

Perfusion pressure

Frequently asked questions

Clinical reminder: Always follow local protocols and consult medication information sheets. These examples are for calculation practice only.

References & Sources

These sources provide background for CURB-65 and pneumonia severity assessment.

Original derivation & validation

Lim WS, et al. — Defining CAP severity on presentation (CURB-65)

PubMed

Thorax (2003)

Original CURB-65 derivation paper used to stratify community-acquired pneumonia severity.

Clinical guidance

NICE — Pneumonia in adults: diagnosis and management (CG191)

Guideline

NICE

UK guidance including severity assessment and management pathways for pneumonia in adults.

CURB-65 Calculator (Pneumonia Severity Score)

Stratify community-acquired pneumonia severity and support outpatient vs inpatient care decisions.

Confusion (new disorientation to person, place, or time) (+1)

Urea >7 mmol/L (BUN >19 mg/dL) (+1)

Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min (+1)

Blood pressure (SBP <90 mmHg or DBP ≤60 mmHg) (+1)

Age ≥65 years (+1)

Educational use only. Severity scores must be interpreted with full clinical assessment and local protocols.

How it works

CURB-65 assigns 1 point for each of five features at presentation: new confusion, raised urea, respiratory rate ≥30, low blood pressure, and age ≥65.

Higher scores are associated with higher short-term mortality and can support decisions about outpatient care, hospital admission, and escalation.

Criteria

C — Confusion (new) U — Urea >7 mmol/L (BUN >19 mg/dL) R — Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min B — Blood pressure: SBP <90 or DBP ≤60 mmHg 65 — Age ≥65 years

Worked examples

Example 1: Age ≥65 only → score 1

Selected: Age ≥65 (+1) CURB-65 = 1 / 5 Typical guidance: low risk → often outpatient (if otherwise stable)

Example 2: RR ≥30 and SBP <90 → score 2

Selected: RR ≥30 (+1), Low BP (+1) CURB-65 = 2 / 5 Typical guidance: moderate risk → consider admission / close monitoring

Frequently asked questions

Clinical reminder: Always follow local protocols and consult medication information sheets. These examples are for calculation practice only.

CURB-65 Calculator (Pneumonia Severity Score)

How it works

Criteria

Worked examples

Related calculators

Frequently asked questions

QWhat is the CURB-65 score used for?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 0–1 mean?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 2 mean?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 3–5 mean?

QIs CURB-65 valid for all pneumonia types?

References & Sources

Original derivation & validation

Lim WS, et al. — Defining CAP severity on presentation (CURB-65)

Clinical guidance

NICE — Pneumonia in adults: diagnosis and management (CG191)

CURB-65 Calculator (Pneumonia Severity Score)

How it works

Criteria

Worked examples

Related calculators

Frequently asked questions

QWhat is the CURB-65 score used for?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 0–1 mean?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 2 mean?

QWhat does a CURB-65 score of 3–5 mean?

QIs CURB-65 valid for all pneumonia types?

References & Sources

Original derivation & validation

Lim WS, et al. — Defining CAP severity on presentation (CURB-65)

Clinical guidance

NICE — Pneumonia in adults: diagnosis and management (CG191)