Not for clinical use. This calculator supports clinical decisions (dosing, a risk score, an obstetric or laboratory assessment) and has not been reviewed by a named qualified clinician. It is published for reference and education only, it is excluded from search indexing for that reason, and it must not be used to guide the care of any patient. Verify every figure against the primary source and your own professional judgement.

CURB-65 Score Calculator

This content is provided for educational purposes only. CURB-65 point score for community-acquired pneumonia severity.

The CURB-65 score helps assess the severity of community-acquired pneumonia and informs decisions about admission to hospital. It gives one point each for confusion, raised blood urea, a high respiratory rate, low blood pressure, and age 65 or older. This tool totals the points; the management decision belongs to a clinician who weighs the score against the whole clinical picture.

Confusion (new)

Blood urea over 7 mmol/L (or BUN over 19 mg/dL)

Respiratory rate 30 or more per minute

Low blood pressure (systolic under 90 or diastolic 60 or under)

Age 65 or older

CURB-65 score

0.00

CURB-65 points

C: new confusion = 1
U: urea over 7 mmol/L (BUN over 19 mg/dL) = 1
R: respiratory rate 30 or more per minute = 1
B: systolic blood pressure under 90 mmHg or diastolic 60 mmHg or under = 1
65: age 65 years or older = 1
Score = sum (range 0 to 5)

Each of the five criteria contributes one point if present. The total ranges from 0 to 5. Higher scores are associated with higher mortality and generally support more intensive care settings.

Worked example

An 80-year-old with new confusion, urea 9 mmol/L, respiratory rate 24, and systolic blood pressure 110 scores: confusion (+1) + urea (+1) + age 65 or older (+1) = 3. Scores of 0 to 1 often suggest possible outpatient care, 2 a short stay or supervised care, and 3 or more hospital admission, all as clinical decisions.

Frequently asked questions

What do CURB-65 scores suggest?

Broadly, a score of 0 to 1 indicates low severity often manageable at home, 2 indicates intermediate severity, and 3 to 5 indicates high severity often warranting hospital and possibly intensive care assessment. The thresholds guide, but do not replace, clinical judgement.

What urea threshold is used?

The original score uses a blood urea above 7 mmol/L, which corresponds to blood urea nitrogen (BUN) above about 19 to 20 mg/dL. Select yes if the patient's value exceeds the threshold in whichever unit your lab uses.

Is there a version without urea?

Yes, CRB-65 omits the urea criterion for settings without immediate blood tests and scores 0 to 4. This calculator implements the full CURB-65 with all five criteria.

Is this a management protocol?

No. It computes the severity score. Admission, antibiotics, and level of care are clinical decisions made by a qualified clinician using the full assessment.

Sources

U.S. National Library of Medicine, StatPearls: CURB-65 / Pneumonia Severity.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pneumonia.

This content is provided for educational purposes only and has not been reviewed by a qualified specialist in this field. Educational tool, not medical advice. See our methodology.