🫀 SOFA Score (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment)
UseTrack organ failure in the ICU and operationalise the Sepsis-3 sepsis definition.
StrataHigher and rising totals mean worse organ dysfunction and mortality; infection plus acute ΔSOFA ≥ 2 supports …
LimitsUse trends, not a single snapshot. · Cardiovascular points depend on accurate vasopressor dose recording. · Lab timing and FiO₂ estimation affect respiratory and liver/renal ite…
SourceVincent JL, et al. Intensive Care Med 1996; Singer M, et al. JAMA 2016
This-shift next steps
After scoring: open the scene pack, peer scores, and the matching pathway. Local reference — no HIS write.
- Who it is for
- Adults with suspected infection when deciding whether to treat this hour as sepsis.
- Who it is not for
- Stable patients scored only to fill a number. Children do not follow adult bundle dosing.
- Formula and variables
- qSOFA is respiratory rate, systolic pressure, and mentation. NEWS2 is respiration, oxygenation, supplemental oxygen, blood pressure, pulse, consciousness, and temperature. SOFA is six organ systems. MEWS stays off the main door. Weights stay as on this page. qSOFA is not a diagnosis.
- Result → next step
- A positive screen only escalates assessment. Next page is the sepsis bundle. qSOFA alone must not switch on antibiotics. Antimicrobials stay at drug-class direction; the spectrum page may be opened. No numeric dose here.Sepsis bundle →
- Guideline
- SSC 2021
Paste the link in Slack, Teams, X, or LinkedIn — the preview image comes from this page’s Open Graph card.
Methodology · worked example, guidelines & full notes
Higher and rising scores predict higher mortality.
When to use
Track organ failure in the ICU and operationalise the Sepsis-3 sepsis definition.
How it works
0–4 points each for respiration, coagulation, liver, cardiovascular, CNS and renal (max 24). An acute rise of ≥ 2 in suspected infection = sepsis.
Key points
- Higher and rising scores predict higher mortality.
- Sepsis-3: acute ΔSOFA ≥ 2 defines sepsis.
- Cardiovascular item uses vasopressor doses (µg/kg/min).
References
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Respiration (PaO₂/FiO₂) | < 300 (2) |
|---|---|
| Coagulation (platelets ×10³/µL) | < 100 (2) |
| Liver (bilirubin mg/dL) | 2.0–5.9 (2) |
| Cardiovascular | Dopamine ≤5 or dobutamine (2) |
| CNS (GCS) | 10–12 (2) |
| Renal (creatinine mg/dL) | 2.0–3.4 (2) |
→SOFA12/24
- ICU mortality (approx., initial SOFA, Ferreira 2001)：95.2% (>11)
- Sepsis-3：An acute rise of ≥ 2 points in suspected infection defines sepsis.
| Respiration (PaO₂/FiO₂) | ≥ 400 (0) |
|---|---|
| Coagulation (platelets ×10³/µL) | ≥ 150 (0) |
| Liver (bilirubin mg/dL) | < 1.2 (0) |
| Cardiovascular | MAP ≥ 70 (0) |
| CNS (GCS) | 15 (0) |
| Renal (creatinine mg/dL) | < 1.2 (0) |
→SOFA0/24
- ICU mortality (approx., initial SOFA, Ferreira 2001)：0%
- Sepsis-3：An acute rise of ≥ 2 points in suspected infection defines sepsis.
Verification & sources · governance
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Does SOFA Score (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) upload patient data? Where is it calculated?
- Calculation runs locally in the browser; inputs and results are not uploaded. For licensed clinicians only; interpret with history, investigations and local protocols — not a diagnosis or prescription.
- How is SOFA Score (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Respiration (PaO₂/FiO₂) < 300 (2), Coagulation (platelets ×10³/µL) < 100 (2), Liver (bilirubin mg/dL) 2.0–5.9 (2), Cardiovascular Dopamine ≤5 or dobutamine (2), CNS (GCS) 10–12 (2), Renal (creatinine mg/dL) 2.0–3.4 (2) → Result: SOFA 12 /24（ICU mortality (approx., initial SOFA, Ferreira 2001): 95.2% (>11), Sepsis-3: An acute rise of ≥ 2 points in suspected infection defines sepsis.） Inputs: Respiration (PaO₂/FiO₂) ≥ 400 (0), Coagulation (platelets ×10³/µL) ≥ 150 (0), Liver (bilirubin mg/dL) < 1.2 (0), Cardiovascular MAP ≥ 70 (0), CNS (GCS) 15 (0), Renal (creatinine mg/dL) < 1.2 (0) → Result: SOFA 0 /24（ICU mortality (approx., initial SOFA, Ferreira 2001): 0%, Sepsis-3: An acute rise of ≥ 2 points in suspected infection defines sepsis.）