CURB-65: The Complete Clinical Guide
Severity scoring for community-acquired pneumonia, site-of-care decisions, antibiotic guidance and ICU criteria
What Is CURB-65?
CURB-65 is a validated clinical prediction rule for assessing the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and guiding site-of-care decisions. Developed by Lim et al. and endorsed by the British Thoracic Society (BTS), it scores five variables — Confusion, Urea, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, and age ≥65 — each worth 1 point. Total score 0–5 stratifies patients into low (outpatient), moderate (consider admission), or high severity (admit, consider ICU).
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- Lim WS, van der Eerden MM, Laing R, et al. Defining community acquired pneumonia severity on presentation to hospital. Thorax. 2003;58(5):377-382.
- NICE NG138. Pneumonia (community-acquired): antimicrobial prescribing. Updated 2023.
- Mandell LA, Wunderink RG, Anzueto A, et al. IDSA/ATS consensus guidelines on CAP. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44(Suppl 2):S27-72.
⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: CURB-65 is for educational and documentation purposes only. Always use full clinical assessment. MedDraftPro accepts no clinical liability.