📋 Charlson Comorbidity Index
Summarise comorbidity burden and estimate survival with the Charlson index.
Charlson Comorbidity Index
Age
Myocardial infarction (+1)
Congestive heart failure (+1)
Peripheral vascular disease (+1)
Cerebrovascular disease (+1)
Dementia (+1)
Chronic lung disease (+1)
Connective tissue disease (+1)
Peptic ulcer disease (+1)
Mild liver disease (+1)
Diabetes (uncomplicated) (+1)
Hemiplegia (+2)
Moderate–severe renal disease (+2)
Diabetes with end-organ damage (+2)
Any tumour (within 5 y) (+2)
Leukaemia (+2)
Lymphoma (+2)
Moderate–severe liver disease (+3)
Metastatic solid tumour (+6)
AIDS (+6)
When to use
Risk adjustment and prognostication.
How it works
Weighted comorbidities (1–6 points each) plus age points; higher totals predict lower 10-year survival.
Key points
- Widely used for research risk adjustment.
- Age-adjusted version adds points by decade.
- Reflects chronic disease burden, not acute illness.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.