ResusDoc / Clinical Scores / qSOFA
qSOFA calculator
Three bedside observations that flag a patient at risk of sepsis-related organ dysfunction, without needing any blood tests.
Open the interactive calculator
Opens the qSOFA card in the ResusDoc Clinical Scores app — scores as you tap, with the interpretation and next steps.
What it is used for
qSOFA came out of the Sepsis-3 definitions as a rapid bedside screen for patients with suspected infection who are at increased risk of a poor outcome. Its appeal is that all three variables are available immediately at the bedside with no laboratory input, which makes it useful in community and pre-hospital settings. Its UK caveat matters just as much: NICE NG253 recommends NEWS2 of 5 or more, not qSOFA, as the primary trigger for sepsis assessment in UK hospitals, so qSOFA supplements the NEWS2-based response rather than replacing it.
The three criteria (1 point each, maximum 3)
| Component | Points |
|---|---|
| Respiratory rate 22/min or more | 1 |
| Altered mentationGCS below 15 | 1 |
| Systolic blood pressure 100 mmHg or less | 1 |
How the score is interpreted
0
qSOFA negative
Monitor and reassess. Ensure a NEWS2 is calculated — NEWS2 of 5 or more triggers the sepsis response in UK hospitals.
1
Monitor closely
Monitor and reassess, and make sure a NEWS2 has been calculated.
2–3
qSOFA positive — sepsis suspected
High risk of organ dysfunction. Start the sepsis workup — cultures, lactate, FBC, CRP — and give antibiotics per Sepsis-6 within the hour. IV fluid challenge with 250 mL balanced crystalloid boluses up to 1 L (NG253). Calculate NEWS2.
When not to use it
- In UK hospitals NEWS2 of 5 or more, not qSOFA, is the primary sepsis trigger under NICE NG253.
- qSOFA is a risk-stratification tool, not a diagnostic test for sepsis, and a score of 0 does not exclude it.
- It is insensitive early in the illness — do not use it to withhold treatment from a patient who looks septic.
Source: qSOFA · Sepsis-3 · NICE NG253 (NEWS2 preferred in the UK)
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