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Respiratory / ID · Sepsis

qSOFA Calculator

Quick bedside sepsis screening tool that needs no lab results - useful outside the ICU to flag patients who need further workup.

Respiratory rate ≥ 22/min+1
Altered mentation (GCS < 15)+1
Systolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg+1

What is qSOFA?

qSOFA (quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) is a simplified, three-variable bedside tool introduced as part of the Sepsis-3 consensus definitions, published by Singer and colleagues in JAMA in 2016. Unlike the full SOFA score, it requires no laboratory results, making it usable for rapid screening on general wards or in resource-limited settings, outside the ICU where SOFA was originally validated.

How to calculate qSOFA

Three criteria, each worth one point:

Interpretation

A score of 2 or more is associated with a substantially increased risk of poor outcome in patients with suspected infection. It should prompt further assessment - lactate, blood cultures, a full SOFA score, and consideration of early antibiotics and fluids - not be used as a final diagnostic answer on its own.

Limitations

qSOFA has lower sensitivity than SIRS criteria for detecting sepsis early, and several major guidelines (including the Surviving Sepsis Campaign) caution against using it as a sole or primary screening tool. It's best thought of as one input among several in the overall clinical assessment.

References

Singer M, Deutschman CS, Seymour CW, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA. 2016.

See also: Shock Types Explained and the Common Antibiotics Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can qSOFA be used alone to rule out sepsis?

No — it has lower sensitivity than SIRS criteria for early sepsis detection, and several major guidelines caution against using it as a sole screening tool.

What should I do if qSOFA is positive?

Proceed to a full sepsis workup: lactate, blood cultures, a full SOFA score, and consider early antibiotics and fluids per your institution's sepsis pathway.