A CURB-65 score greater than 3 indicates what?

• A. High mortality; Hospitalization for severe pneumonia
• B. Low mortality; Home treatment
• C. Moderate mortality; Outpatient management
• D. No mortality risk; Discharge home

Answer: (A)

CURB-65 is a simple scoring tool used to estimate mortality risk in community-acquired pneumonia and to guide where to treat the patient. It assigns one point for each of five factors: confusion, elevated urea, respiratory rate of 30 or more, low blood pressure, and age 65 or older. The higher the score, the higher the risk of death and the more intensive the management typically required.

A score greater than three signals a high mortality risk. This level of risk usually means the patient should be hospitalized for severe pneumonia, with consideration for intensive care depending on the overall clinical status. Lower scores point toward outpatient care or standard hospital admission for closer monitoring, but a score above three strongly indicates the need for inpatient treatment due to the significant risk.