How to use it
- For each organ system pick the band matching the worst value in the last 24 hours.
- For the kidneys use creatinine or urine output, whichever gives the higher points.
- Enter the baseline score, or leave 0 if the patient had no known organ dysfunction.
- Read the total and the change from baseline.
How the score works
Six systems are each scored 0 (normal) to 4 (most abnormal), so the total runs from 0 to 24.
| System | Measured by |
|---|---|
| Respiration | PaO2/FiO2; points 3 and 4 need respiratory support |
| Coagulation | platelet count |
| Liver | bilirubin |
| Cardiovascular | mean arterial pressure or vasopressor dose |
| Central nervous system | Glasgow Coma Scale |
| Kidneys | creatinine or daily urine output |
Change from baseline = total − baseline. A change of 2 or more meets the Sepsis-3 criterion for organ dysfunction.
Worked example
A patient with pneumonia has PaO2/FiO2 of 250 mmHg on oxygen (2), platelets of 130 × 10⁹/L (1), normal bilirubin (0), norepinephrine at 0.08 µg/kg/min (3), GCS 14 (1) and creatinine of 2.3 mg/dL (2). The total is 2 + 1 + 0 + 3 + 1 + 2 = 9, a rise of 9 from a baseline of 0.
Tips
- Bilirubin and creatinine bands are shown in mg/dL and µmol/L; pick the one your laboratory reports.
- Points 3 and 4 for respiration need ventilation or other respiratory support.
- A single high score matters less than its trend over the following days.
- The score is for information and does not replace the clinical team’s judgment.