CURB-65: Introduction

CURB-65 is a clinical prediction tool widely used to assess the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and estimate the risk of 30-day mortality. Developed in 2002 at the University of Nottingham, CURB-65 is a simple and effective scoring system that helps clinicians make informed decisions regarding patient management and care.

What Does CURB-65 Stand For?

The acronym CURB-65 represents five key clinical criteria:

Confusion: New onset of disorientation or altered mental status.
Urea: Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) > 7 mmol/L (or > 19 mg/dL).
Respiratory Rate: ≥ 30 breaths per minute.
Blood Pressure: Systolic < 90 mmHg or Diastolic ≤ 60 mmHg.
65: Age 65 years or older.

Each criterion is assigned 1 point, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 5.

CURB-65 Score

CURB-65 Score for Assessing Community-Acquired Pneumonia

The CURB-65 score is a widely used clinical prediction tool for assessing the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and estimating the risk of 30-day mortality. It is an acronym representing the following criteria:

CURB-65 Scoring Criteria

Confusion (new onset): 1 point

Urea (BUN > 7 mmol/L or 19 mg/dL): 1 point

Respiratory rate (≥ 30 breaths/min): 1 point

Blood pressure...

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