⚕️ For clinical reference only. Not a substitute for professional judgment.

CURB-65 Pneumonia

Severity score for community-acquired pneumonia. Guides admission and antibiotic route decisions.

0/5

Low Severity

Select criteria present.

CURB-65 Criteria

C — Confusion (new: AMT ≤8 or disorientation)+1 U — Urea >7 mmol/L (>19 mg/dL)+1 R — Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min+1 B — Low BP: SBP <90 or DBP ≤60 mmHg+1 65 — Age ≥65 years+1

Management Guide

0 = ~0.7% mortality → Home oral antibiotics
1 = ~2.1% mortality → Home (consider admission)
2 = ~9.2% mortality → Hospital admission
3 = ~14.5% mortality → Hospital + consider ICU
4–5 = 27–40% mortality → ICU/HDU assessment

References

Lim WS et al. Thorax. 2003.
BTS CAP Guidelines 2009 (updated 2023).
NICE NG138 — Pneumonia (hospital-acquired). 2019.