Emergency and critical care
qSOFA
qSOFA is a three-item bedside screen that flags a patient with suspected infection who is at higher risk of a poor outcome. It needs no blood test, which is the whole point of it.
Enter the values
Result
0/ 3
Negative screen
Below the threshold. A negative qSOFA does not exclude sepsis. It is deliberately insensitive and must not be used to rule out.
This calculator is provided for reference and education. It does not replace clinical assessment, examination, current guidelines, local protocol, or professional judgment. Verify every result before acting on it. Nirogix accepts no liability for clinical decisions made using this tool.
The formula
- Respiratory rate ≥ 22: 1 · Altered mentation: 1 · Systolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg: 1
Worked example
A confused patient with a respiratory rate of 26 and systolic 95 → 3, a positive screen
When to use it
- Screening a patient with suspected infection outside intensive care
And when not to
- qSOFA is a prognostic prompt, not a diagnostic criterion for sepsis, and it is poorly sensitive as a rule-out.
- It should never delay antibiotics or fluids in a patient who looks unwell.
References
- The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) — Singer M et al., JAMA, 2016
Last reviewed 07/09/2026.
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These calculators are free and always will be. We also build Nirogix, a hospital management system for Indian clinics and hospitals. The same calculations are planned inside the consultation record, pre-filled from the chart.