CURB-65 Pneumonia Severity Calculator
CURB-65 is a five-point clinical-prediction rule for severity and 30-day mortality in community-acquired pneumonia. The IDSA/ATS 2019 CAP guideline references CURB-65 (alongside the Pneumonia Severity Index) as a validated tool to support disposition decisions. Each component contributes one point: confusion, blood urea nitrogen above 19 mg/dL (urea > 7 mmol/L), respiratory rate at least 30, low blood pressure (SBP < 90 or DBP ≤ 60), and age 65 or above. Lower scores often align with outpatient management; higher scores increasingly favour inpatient and ICU evaluation.
This tool is for educational and decision-support use only. It does not replace independent clinical judgement. Always verify against the current guideline, FDA label, or specialty reference cited below before acting. Do not enter patient identifiers (name, MRN, dates of service).
Tool
Who this is for
- Emergency physicians and hospitalists deciding admission vs outpatient
- Internal medicine residents on inpatient pneumonia care
- Primary care clinicians evaluating pneumonia severity
How to interpret the result
| Score / band | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | Low (~0.7–2.1% 30-day mortality) — outpatient often appropriate. |
| 2 | Moderate (~9.2%) — short admission or supervised outpatient commonly considered. |
| 3 | High (~14.5%) — admission typically warranted. |
| 4–5 | Very high (~40–57%) — ICU evaluation commonly considered. |