CURB-65
CAP severity where urea is available (hospital / nursing-home).
What it is for
Pneumonia severity when bloods are to hand. Primary care without bloods → use CRB-65.
Use the working calculator
The working CURB-65 calculator is on our calculators page. It is free and needs no account. Enter the values and it shows the result with the reading that goes with it.
The calculators are free. The trial opens the protocols and pathways they link to.What you enter
The calculator asks for 5 items.
- Confusion — AMT ≤ 8 or new disorientation (1 point)
- Urea > 7 mmol/L (1 point)
- Respiratory rate ≥ 30 / min (1 point)
- BP — SBP < 90 OR DBP ≤ 60 (1 point)
- Age ≥ 65 (1 point)
How the result is read
The result is shown as CURB-65, out of a maximum of 5.
The calculator reads each total as follows. Where a single answer changes the reading (for example sex, age or one extreme value), the working calculator says so.
| Total | Band | What the calculator says |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | Low severity | NICE NG250: low-severity band — usually suitable for home management, using clinical judgement. See the pneumonia protocol. 30-day mortality < 3%. |
| 2 | Moderate | Consider hospital / short-stay assessment. 30-day mortality ~9%. |
| 3 to 5 | High severity | Urgent hospital admission; assess for critical care. 30-day mortality 15–40%. Score 4–5 — consider ITU review. |
Sources
These are the sources the calculator cites. Check the current version before relying on a threshold.
Related
For qualified clinicians. A score supports a clinical decision and does not make it: check the inputs, read the cited source, and use the tools in your clinical system for patient care where one is provided.