A CURB-65 score of 2 indicates what level of mortality and recommended setting?

• A. Low mortality; Home treatment
• B. High mortality; ICU
• C. Intermediate mortality; Consider hospital supervised treatment
• D. No mortality; Outpatient management

Answer: (C)

CURB-65 is a simple scoring system used to estimate mortality risk in patients with community-acquired pneumonia and to guide disposition. It adds one point for each of five factors: confusion, blood urea nitrogen elevated (urea >7 mmol/L), respiratory rate at least 30 breaths per minute, low blood pressure (systolic ≤90 mm Hg or diastolic ≤60 mm Hg), and age ≥65 years. The total score helps decide where to treat: 0–1 is low risk and often managed as an outpatient; a score of 2 is intermediate risk, indicating a modest mortality risk and a need for hospital supervision and closer monitoring; higher scores reflect greater risk and usually require more intensive care, such as inpatient admission or ICU-level management.

So a CURB-65 score of two fits the intermediate mortality category and the recommendation to consider hospital-supervised treatment. It isn’t low risk, so home treatment isn’t appropriate, and it isn’t high risk requiring ICU care, and it isn’t no mortality with outpatient management.