SOFA (Sepsis Organ Failure Assessment) Calculator

SOFA (Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment): Explanation and Clinical Context The SOFA score quantifies the degree of dysfunction across six organ systems (respiratory, coagulation, hepatic, cardiovascular, neurologic, and renal) by assigning 0–4 points for each organ system, producing a total score ranging from 0 to 24. It was developed primarily as an objective tool to describe and track organ dysfunction in critically ill patients rather than as a standalone mortality prediction model; nevertheless, multiple studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between higher SOFA scores (and rising SOFA over time) and increased ICU and in-hospital mortality. Clinically, SOFA is used to characterize severity at ICU admission, monitor progression (serial SOFA), and support research and sepsis definitions; changes in the score over the first 48 hours are especially prognostic.

Use of SOFA requires recognition of limitations (e.g., sedation affecting GCS, incomplete data for PaO2/FiO2 or vasopressor dosing), and it should be interpreted together with the clinical picture and other prognostic models when making management decisions.