🌡️ Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials
This tool combines CURB-65 with the IDSA/ATS severe-CAP criteria to triage community-acquired pneumonia to outpatient, ward, or ICU care and gives empiric antimicrobials.
Clinical takeaway
Antibiotic courses are typically 5 days and stopped only after clinical stability, with the regimen tailored to setting and local resistance. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim)
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When to use
Use to choose the care setting and empiric regimen, escalating to the ICU when a major criterion or ≥ 3 minor criteria define severe CAP.
How it works
Severe CAP = 1 major (mechanical-ventilation respiratory failure or vasopressor septic shock) or ≥ 3 minor criteria → ICU. Otherwise CURB-65 0–1 outpatient, 2 admit/observe, ≥ 3 admit; empiric antimicrobials stratified by setting.
Key points
- Antibiotic courses are typically 5 days and stopped only after clinical stability, with the regimen tailored to setting and local resistance. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim)
- MRSA or Pseudomonas risk factors prompt added coverage and cultures.
- PSI is the preferred severity tool, with CURB-65 as a simpler alternative.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| CURB-65 score (0–5) | 1 |
|---|---|
| Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) | Any present |
| Number of minor criteria met (of 9) | 1 |
| Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) | Present |
→TriageAdmit to ICU (severe CAP)
- Severity：Severe CAP (≥ 1 major or ≥ 3 minor criteria)
- Empiric antimicrobials：IV β-lactam + macrolide, or β-lactam + respiratory fluoroquinolone
- Coverage note：With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures
| CURB-65 score (0–5) | 1 |
|---|---|
| Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) | None |
| Number of minor criteria met (of 9) | 1 |
| Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) | Absent |
→TriageOutpatient treatment feasible
- Severity：CURB-65 1 points
- Empiric antimicrobials：No comorbidities: amoxicillin or doxycycline (a macrolide where local macrolide resistance is low)
- Coverage note：With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures
Frequently asked questions
- What is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
- This tool combines CURB-65 with the IDSA/ATS severe-CAP criteria to triage community-acquired pneumonia to outpatient, ward, or ICU care and gives empiric antimicrobials.
- How is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials calculated? What is the core formula?
- Severe CAP = 1 major (mechanical-ventilation respiratory failure or vasopressor septic shock) or ≥ 3 minor criteria → ICU. Otherwise CURB-65 0–1 outpatient, 2 admit/observe, ≥ 3 admit; empiric antimicrobials stratified by setting.
- When is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials used?
- Use to choose the care setting and empiric regimen, escalating to the ICU when a major criterion or ≥ 3 minor criteria define severe CAP.
- What are the key clinical points for Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
- Antibiotic courses are typically 5 days and stopped only after clinical stability, with the regimen tailored to setting and local resistance. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim) MRSA or Pseudomonas risk factors prompt added coverage and cultures. PSI is the preferred severity tool, with CURB-65 as a simpler alternative.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: CURB-65 score (0–5) 1, Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) Any present, Number of minor criteria met (of 9) 1, Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) Present → Result: Triage Admit to ICU (severe CAP)（Severity: Severe CAP (≥ 1 major or ≥ 3 minor criteria), Empiric antimicrobials: IV β-lactam + macrolide, or β-lactam + respiratory fluoroquinolone, Coverage note: With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures） Inputs: CURB-65 score (0–5) 1, Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) None, Number of minor criteria met (of 9) 1, Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) Absent → Result: Triage Outpatient treatment feasible（Severity: CURB-65 1 points, Empiric antimicrobials: No comorbidities: amoxicillin or doxycycline (a macrolide where local macrolide resistance is low), Coverage note: With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures）