Curb 65 Score Calculator
Assess pneumonia severity and determine inpatient vs outpatient treatment using CURB-65. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Formula
CURB-65 = Confusion(1) + Urea>7(1) + RR≥30(1) + BP low(1) + Age≥65(1)
Each criterion adds 1 point. Total score ranges from 0 to 5. Score 0-1: Low risk (~0.6-2.7% mortality), consider outpatient. Score 2: Moderate risk (~6.8%), consider admission. Score 3-5: High risk (~14-57%), hospital/ICU admission.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Low Severity Pneumonia
Problem: 45-year-old with productive cough, RR 22, BP 130/80, oriented, normal urea.
Solution: Confusion: No (0)\nUrea >7: No (0)\nRR ≥30: No (0)\nBP low: No (0)\nAge ≥65: No (0)\nTotal CURB-65 = 0\n30-day mortality: 0.6%
Result: CURB-65 0 — Low Severity, outpatient treatment appropriate
Example 2: High Severity Pneumonia
Problem: 78-year-old confused patient with RR 34, BP 80/50, urea 12 mmol/L.
Solution: Confusion: +1\nUrea >7: +1\nRR ≥30: +1\nBP low: +1\nAge ≥65: +1\nTotal CURB-65 = 5\n30-day mortality: 57%
Result: CURB-65 5 — High Severity, ICU admission required
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CURB-65 score?
CURB-65 is a clinical prediction tool for assessing the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and guiding site-of-care decisions. The acronym stands for: Confusion, Urea >7 mmol/L, Respiratory rate ≥30, Blood pressure (systolic <90 or diastolic ≤60), and age ≥65. Each criterion scores 1 point, giving a total range of 0-5. It was developed by the British Thoracic Society and is recommended by multiple international guidelines.
How does CURB-65 guide treatment decisions?
Score 0-1: Low risk, consider outpatient treatment with oral antibiotics. Score 2: Moderate risk, consider short inpatient stay or hospital-supervised outpatient care. Score 3-5: High risk, hospital admission required. Scores 4-5 strongly suggest ICU admission. These recommendations should be combined with clinical judgment, comorbidities, and social factors.
What is the difference between CURB-65 and CRB-65?
CRB-65 omits the Urea criterion, making it suitable for use in primary care and outpatient settings where blood tests may not be immediately available. It uses only Confusion, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, and age ≥65. Scoring: 0 = very low risk (outpatient), 1-2 = increased risk (consider hospital referral), 3-4 = high risk (urgent hospital admission).
What are the limitations of CURB-65?
Limitations include: 1) Does not account for comorbidities (COPD, diabetes, immunosuppression). 2) May underestimate severity in younger patients with severe sepsis. 3) Does not incorporate radiographic findings or oxygenation status. 4) Less validated in healthcare-associated and hospital-acquired pneumonia. 5) Should be supplemented with clinical judgment regarding social factors, ability to take oral medications, and follow-up availability.
Can I use the results for professional or academic purposes?
You may use the results for reference and educational purposes. For professional reports, academic papers, or critical decisions, we recommend verifying outputs against peer-reviewed sources or consulting a qualified expert in the relevant field.
Does Curb 65 Score Calculator work offline?
Once the page is loaded, the calculation logic runs entirely in your browser. If you have already opened the page, most calculators will continue to work even if your internet connection is lost, since no server requests are needed for computation.