Review of the CURB-65 Score for Pneumonia Severity

The CURB-65 Score for Pneumonia Severity is a clinical decision support tool designed to predict the 30-day mortality risk of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) utilizing patient age, mental status, vital signs, and renal function. It assists healthcare providers during the initial evaluation and triage of patients presenting with acute respiratory infections. By calculating a stratified risk score, the tool supports safe disposition practices and helps prevent adverse outcomes by identifying whether patients are suitable for outpatient care, require hospital admission, or need intensive care management. In addition, this tool outlines the predicted mortality rate for each risk bracket and provides evidence-based recommendations to guide providers in safely allocating medical resources. Since its inception, the tool has been validated for use with CAP, but has seen emerging evidence in predicting mortality in influenza and COVID-19 pneumonia.