📋 Charlson Comorbidity Index
Summarise comorbidity burden and estimate survival with the Charlson index.
Clinical takeaway
Widely used for research risk adjustment.
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When to use
Risk adjustment and prognostication.
How it works
Weighted comorbidities (1–6 points each) plus age points; higher totals predict lower 10-year survival.
Key points
- Widely used for research risk adjustment.
- Age-adjusted version adds points by decade.
- Reflects chronic disease burden, not acute illness.
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.
| Age | < 50 (0) |
|---|---|
| Myocardial infarction (+1) | No |
| Congestive heart failure (+1) | No |
| Peripheral vascular disease (+1) | No |
| Cerebrovascular disease (+1) | No |
| Dementia (+1) | No |
| Chronic lung disease (+1) | No |
| Connective tissue disease (+1) | No |
| Peptic ulcer disease (+1) | No |
| Mild liver disease (+1) | No |
| Diabetes (uncomplicated) (+1) | No |
| Hemiplegia (+2) | No |
| Moderate–severe renal disease (+2) | No |
| Diabetes with end-organ damage (+2) | No |
| Any tumour (within 5 y) (+2) | No |
| Leukaemia (+2) | No |
| Lymphoma (+2) | No |
| Moderate–severe liver disease (+3) | No |
| Metastatic solid tumour (+6) | No |
| AIDS (+6) | No |
→Charlson index0
- Estimated 10-year survival：98%
- Note：Includes age points (age-adjusted CCI).
| Age | ≥ 80 (4) |
|---|---|
| Myocardial infarction (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Congestive heart failure (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Peripheral vascular disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Cerebrovascular disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Dementia (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Chronic lung disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Connective tissue disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Peptic ulcer disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Mild liver disease (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Diabetes (uncomplicated) (+1) | Yes (+1) |
| Hemiplegia (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Moderate–severe renal disease (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Diabetes with end-organ damage (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Any tumour (within 5 y) (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Leukaemia (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Lymphoma (+2) | Yes (+2) |
| Moderate–severe liver disease (+3) | Yes (+3) |
| Metastatic solid tumour (+6) | Yes (+6) |
| AIDS (+6) | Yes (+6) |
→Charlson index41
- Estimated 10-year survival：0%
- Note：Includes age points (age-adjusted CCI).
Frequently asked questions
- What is Charlson Comorbidity Index?
- Summarise comorbidity burden and estimate survival with the Charlson index.
- How is Charlson Comorbidity Index calculated? What is the core formula?
- Weighted comorbidities (1–6 points each) plus age points; higher totals predict lower 10-year survival.
- When is Charlson Comorbidity Index used?
- Risk adjustment and prognostication.
- What are the key clinical points for Charlson Comorbidity Index?
- Widely used for research risk adjustment. Age-adjusted version adds points by decade. Reflects chronic disease burden, not acute illness.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Charlson Comorbidity Index?
- 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 Charlson Comorbidity Index calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Age < 50 (0), Myocardial infarction (+1) No, Congestive heart failure (+1) No, Peripheral vascular disease (+1) No, Cerebrovascular disease (+1) No, Dementia (+1) No, Chronic lung disease (+1) No, Connective tissue disease (+1) No… → Result: Charlson index 0（Estimated 10-year survival: 98%, Note: Includes age points (age-adjusted CCI).） Inputs: Age ≥ 80 (4), Myocardial infarction (+1) Yes (+1), Congestive heart failure (+1) Yes (+1), Peripheral vascular disease (+1) Yes (+1), Cerebrovascular disease (+1) Yes (+1), Dementia (+1) Yes (+1), Chronic lung disease (+1) Yes (+1), Connective tissue disease (+1) Yes (+1)… → Result: Charlson index 41（Estimated 10-year survival: 0%, Note: Includes age points (age-adjusted CCI).）