CURB-65

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CURB-65 is a validated score for predicting mortality in community-acquired pneumonia^[1] and infection of any site^[2]. The CURB-65 is based on the earlier CURB score^[3] and is recommended by the British Thoracic Society for the assessment of severity of pneumonia.^[4]

The score is an acronym for each of the risk factors measured. Each risk factor scores one point, for a maximum score of 5:

• confusion (defined as an AMT of 8 or less)
• urea greater than 7 mmol/l (19.6 mg/dl)
• respiratory rate of 30 breaths per minute or greater
• blood pressure less than 90 systolic or diastolic blood pressure 60 or less
• age 65 or older

Contents 1 Predicting death from pneumonia 2 Predicting death from any infection 3 References 4 External links

Predicting death from pneumonia

The risk of death increases as the score increases:

• 0—0.7%
• 1—3.2%
• 2—13.0%
• 3—17.0%
• 4—41.5%
• 5—57.0%

The CURB-65 has been compared to the pneumonia severity index in predicting mortality from pneumonia.^[5]

Predicting death from any infection

A cohort study of patients with any type of infection (half of the patients had pneumonia), the risk of death increases as the score increases^[2]:

• 0 to 1 <5% mortality
• 2 to 3 < 10% mortality
• 4 to 5 15-30% mortality

References

1. ↑ Lim WS, van der Eerden MM, Laing R, et al (2003). "Defining community acquired pneumonia severity on presentation to hospital: an international derivation and validation study". Thorax 58 (5): 377-82. PMID 12728155.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Howell MD, Donnino MW, Talmor D, Clardy P, Ngo L, Shapiro NI (2007). "Performance of severity of illness scoring systems in emergency department patients with infection". Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 14 (8): 709-14. DOI:10.1197/j.aem.2007.02.036. PMID 17576773.
3. ↑ Lim WS, Macfarlane JT, Boswell TC, et al (2001). "Study of community acquired pneumonia aetiology (SCAPA) in adults admitted to hospital: implications for management guidelines". Thorax 56 (4): 296-301. PMID 11254821.
4. ↑ (2001) "BTS Guidelines for the Management of Community Acquired Pneumonia in Adults". Thorax 56 Suppl 4: IV1-64. PMID 11713364.
5. ↑ Aujesky D, Auble TE, Yealy DM, et al (2005). "Prospective comparison of three validated prediction rules for prognosis in community-acquired pneumonia". Am. J. Med. 118 (4): 384-92. DOI:10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.01.006. PMID 15808136.

External links

• British Thoracic Society
• ICU Medicus Pneumonia Severity Score - online calculator for the CURB-65

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