What is the qSOFA score?

qSOFA (quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) is a simplified bedside score from the Sepsis-3 consensus. It uses three quick clinical criteria to identify patients with suspected infection who are at greater risk of in-hospital death or prolonged ICU stay.

What does a qSOFA score of 2 or more mean?

A qSOFA of 2 or 3 identifies a patient with suspected infection who is at higher risk of a poor outcome. It should prompt closer monitoring, investigation for organ dysfunction, escalation of care, and consideration of the full SOFA score and sepsis management bundle.

Is qSOFA a diagnosis of sepsis?

No. qSOFA is a prognostic prompt, not a diagnostic test. It does not confirm sepsis and a low score does not exclude it. Sepsis is defined by life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, assessed with the full SOFA score.

How does qSOFA differ from NEWS2?

qSOFA uses just three criteria and was designed specifically to flag infection patients at risk of deterioration, while NEWS2 aggregates seven physiological parameters for general deterioration detection. NEWS2 is more sensitive and is the NHS standard; qSOFA is a quick adjunct.

Should I use qSOFA in the ICU?

qSOFA was developed and validated mainly for use outside the ICU, such as in emergency departments and general wards. Within the ICU, the full SOFA score is preferred because more detailed physiological and laboratory data are routinely available.

qSOFA Score Calculator

What the qSOFA score is

The quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) is a rapid, bedside risk-stratification tool introduced with the 2016 Sepsis-3 definitions. It is designed to be applied quickly, without laboratory tests, to patients with suspected infection in order to flag those at increased risk of death or prolonged critical-care stay. A high score is a prompt to act, not a diagnosis.

How it works

qSOFA awards one point for each of three criteria:

Altered mentation — a Glasgow Coma Scale score below 15, or any new alteration in mental state.
Respiratory rate ≥22 breaths per minute.
Systolic blood pressure ≤100 mmHg.

The points are summed to give a total of 0 to 3. A total of ≥2 identifies a patient at substantially higher risk of a poor outcome and should trigger closer monitoring, a search for organ dysfunction (for example with the full SOFA score), escalation of care, and initiation of the sepsis management bundle where infection is suspected.

Tips and notes

qSOFA is deliberately simple so it can be applied in seconds at the bedside. Because it is specific but relatively insensitive, a score below 2 does not rule out sepsis — clinical concern always overrides the number. In NHS settings, NEWS2 remains the primary deterioration tool, and qSOFA is best used as a focused adjunct when infection is suspected. Always combine the score with the full clinical picture, local sepsis protocols, and senior review.