What does qSOFA stand for?

qSOFA stands for quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment. It is a simplified, bedside version of the full SOFA score designed to identify sepsis risk without requiring laboratory results.

What qSOFA score suggests sepsis?

A qSOFA score of 2 or 3 suggests high risk for sepsis-related poor outcomes. Patients meeting this threshold should receive prompt clinical evaluation, blood cultures, lactate measurement, and appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Is qSOFA a diagnostic tool for sepsis?

No. qSOFA is a screening tool only. A positive screen (score >= 2) does not confirm sepsis; it identifies patients who warrant further evaluation. Sepsis diagnosis requires evidence of infection plus organ dysfunction per the Sepsis-3 definition.

What is altered mentation in the qSOFA context?

Altered mentation is defined as a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score less than 15 — any deviation from fully alert and oriented. This includes new confusion, agitation, drowsiness, or reduced responsiveness.

How does qSOFA differ from the full SOFA score?

The full SOFA score assesses six organ systems and requires laboratory values (creatinine, bilirubin, platelet count, PaO2/FiO2). qSOFA uses only three clinical observations and no labs, making it faster at the bedside but less sensitive overall.

Can qSOFA be used in ICU patients?

qSOFA was validated for use outside the ICU — in the ED, wards, and pre-hospital settings. For ICU patients, the full SOFA score is the appropriate tool for assessing organ dysfunction and sepsis severity.

qSOFA Sepsis Score Calculator

Name: qSOFA Sepsis Score Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Check three binary criteria — altered mentation, high respiratory rate, and low systolic BP — to get a qSOFA score and sepsis risk level at the bedside.

qSOFA Criteria

Check each criterion that is present. Each adds 1 point.

Altered Mentation GCS < 15 — any new confusion, agitation, drowsiness, or reduced responsiveness

Respiratory Rate ≥ 22 /min Tachypnea indicating respiratory compromise

Measured RR (optional, for reference)

Systolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg Hypotension indicating circulatory compromise

Measured SBP (optional, for reference)

Educational use only. This tool replicates the published qSOFA criteria but does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions must be made by qualified healthcare providers using the full clinical picture.

Check the criteria present and press Calculate to see the qSOFA score.

Criterion	Threshold	Points
Altered Mentation	GCS < 15	1
Respiratory Rate	≥ 22 breaths/min	1
Systolic Blood Pressure	≤ 100 mmHg	1

Score 0: low risk. Score 1: monitor closely. Score 2–3: high risk, prompt sepsis evaluation required.

Source: Singer M, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA. 2016;315(8):801–810.

Summary

Check three binary criteria — altered mentation, high respiratory rate, and low systolic BP — to get a qSOFA score and sepsis risk level at the bedside.

How it works

Assess whether the patient has altered mentation, defined as a GCS score less than 15.
Measure the current respiratory rate; mark positive if >= 22 breaths per minute.
Measure systolic blood pressure; mark positive if <= 100 mmHg.
Each criterion present scores 1 point; the total qSOFA score is the sum (0 to 3).
A score of 0 indicates low risk; 1 warrants close monitoring; 2 or 3 indicates high risk and requires immediate sepsis evaluation.
Combine clinical findings with lactate, cultures, and full SOFA where sepsis is suspected.

Use cases

Rapid bedside triage of patients presenting with suspected infection.
Emergency department screening before full laboratory workup is available.
Ward-level identification of deteriorating patients who may need ICU escalation.
Pre-hospital and transport assessment of critically ill patients.
Teaching and simulation exercises on early sepsis recognition.
Quality-improvement audits of early sepsis detection rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu