Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (Seymour et al., JAMA 2016, Sepsis-3):
three bedside signs — respiratory rate ≥ 22/min, altered mentation (GCS < 15),
systolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg — scored 0–3. A score of ≥ 2 flags a patient with
suspected infection at high risk of a poor outcome. No labs needed; everything runs in your browser.
Screening aid — not medical advice. qSOFA helps flag possible sepsis
early; it cannot confirm or exclude sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency — seek immediate clinical
assessment, or call your local emergency number (for example 119 in Indonesia).
Interactive qSOFA scorer
Enter the three bedside values. The score updates live as you type.
Screening aid, not a diagnosis. A low qSOFA score does not rule out
sepsis. If infection is suspected and the patient looks unwell, escalate regardless of the score.
Worked examples (recomputed from the frozen oracle)
Per Seymour CW et al., JAMA 2016;315(8):762–774 (Sepsis-3): one point each for
systolic hypotension (≤ 100 mmHg), tachypnea (≥ 22/min), or altered mentation. Scores of ≥ 2 were
associated with a 3- to 14-fold increase in in-hospital mortality among patients with suspected infection,
across baseline risk deciles. The score was derived and validated in adult encounters (age ≥ 18) and
performs best outside the ICU; inside the ICU it was statistically inferior to SOFA.
On the GCS cutoff: the derivation model used an optimal cutoff of GCS ≤ 13, but the
paper's own sensitivity analysis found that the simpler rule “any altered mentation (GCS < 15)”
had predictive validity not significantly different from the GCS ≤ 13 model (P = .56). The clinically
adopted definition — implemented here — is therefore altered mentation = GCS < 15
(any value below 15 earns 1 point).
Scope boundary: what this tool is (and isn't)
This tool = the rapid bedside screen. Three variables (RR, GCS, SBP), no laboratory tests,
score 0–3, threshold ≥ 2 as a prompt to consider sepsis in suspected infection.
NOT the full SOFA score. SOFA evaluates six organ systems with labs (0–24 points) and is
the Sepsis-3 clinical criterion for sepsis (increase ≥ 2 points). qSOFA is explicitly a screening
shortcut, not a SOFA replacement.
NOT a diagnostic test. qSOFA flags risk; it cannot confirm or exclude sepsis. A score of
0–1 does not rule out sepsis. See the FAQ.
Adults only (validated age ≥ 18). For the GCS component itself, use our
Glasgow Coma Scale calculator; for ICU prognostic
scores that consume a GCS value, see SAPS II.
qSOFA stands for quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment. It is a rapid bedside screening score introduced by Seymour et al. in JAMA (2016) as part of Sepsis-3, the third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock. It uses three clinical signs that need no laboratory tests — respiratory rate, mental status, and systolic blood pressure — to flag patients with suspected infection who are at higher risk of a poor outcome.
What are the three qSOFA criteria and how are they scored?
Each criterion is worth 1 point, for a total score of 0 to 3: (1) respiratory rate ≥ 22 breaths/min; (2) altered mentation, defined as a Glasgow Coma Scale total below 15 (GCS < 15); (3) systolic blood pressure ≤ 100 mmHg. For example, a patient with RR 24/min, GCS 14, and SBP 95 mmHg meets all three criteria — 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 of 3.
What does a qSOFA score of 2 or more mean?
A score of 2 or 3 means high risk. In the Sepsis-3 derivation and validation cohorts, patients with suspected infection and qSOFA ≥ 2 had a 3- to 14-fold increase in in-hospital mortality compared with scores below 2, across baseline risk deciles. Clinically it is a prompt to consider sepsis: investigate for organ dysfunction, obtain cultures and lactate where available, and escalate care without delay.
Does a qSOFA score of 0 or 1 rule out sepsis?
No. A low qSOFA score does NOT rule out sepsis. qSOFA is a rapid screening aid, not a diagnostic test, and it is not sensitive enough to exclude sepsis on its own. Sepsis is a medical emergency: if infection is suspected and the patient looks unwell — regardless of a low qSOFA score — escalate for urgent clinical assessment.
Why does this tool use GCS < 15 when the original paper used GCS ≤13?
The derivation model in Seymour et al. used an optimal cutoff of GCS ≤ 13, but the paper's own sensitivity analysis found that the simpler rule — any altered mentation, i.e. GCS < 15 — had predictive validity not significantly different from the GCS ≤ 13 model (P = .56). The clinically adopted definition of the mentation criterion is therefore “altered mentation (GCS < 15)”, which is what this calculator implements. The nuance is documented in the methodology section above.
How is qSOFA different from SOFA and SIRS?
They answer different questions. SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) scores six organ systems (0–24 points, needs laboratory results) and is the stronger prognostic tool — a SOFA increase of ≥ 2 points in suspected infection is the Sepsis-3 clinical criterion for sepsis. SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) is the older 1991/2001 four-criterion definition, now considered too non-specific. qSOFA sits between them: three bedside variables, no labs, designed as a fast screening prompt outside the ICU — explicitly not a replacement for the full SOFA score.
Who was qSOFA validated in? Can it be used for children?
qSOFA was derived and validated in adult encounters (age ≥ 18) with suspected infection, in emergency departments, hospital wards, and out-of-hospital settings. It performed best outside the ICU; inside the ICU it was statistically inferior to SOFA. It has not been validated in children, so it should not be applied to paediatric patients.
Why is lactate not part of the qSOFA score?
Serum lactate did not meet the prespecified statistical thresholds for inclusion during model building. In a post-hoc analysis, patients with qSOFA = 1 plus a lactate level ≥ 2.0 mmol/L had a risk profile similar to qSOFA = 2 — so lactate can help interpret a borderline score, but it remains outside the three-point qSOFA definition.
How do I enter the mentation criterion?
Enter the patient's total Glasgow Coma Scale (3–15). Any total below 15 — for example GCS 14 — counts as altered mentation and earns 1 point; GCS 15 earns 0. If you need to determine the GCS from the patient's eye, verbal, and motor responses first, use our Glasgow Coma Scale calculator, then enter the total here.
Is this calculator medical advice?
No. This is an educational screening aid — not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not a substitute for clinical judgment. qSOFA assists early recognition of patients who may have sepsis; it cannot confirm or exclude sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency: seek immediate clinical assessment, or call your local emergency number (for example 119 in Indonesia).
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