Performance Status - Karnofsky Scoring

Karnofsky Scoring

The Karnofsky score runs from 100 to 0, where 100 is "perfect" health and 0 is death. Although practitioners occasionally assign performance scores in between standard intervals of 10, there is no substantiated rationale for this and prognostication is not improved. This scoring system is named after Dr David A. Karnofsky, who described the scale with Dr Joseph H. Burchenal in 1949. The primary purpose of its development was to allow physicians to evaluate a patient's ability to survive chemotherapy for cancer.

• 100% – normal, no complaints, no signs of disease
• 90% – capable of normal activity, few symptoms or signs of disease
• 80% – normal activity with some difficulty, some symptoms or signs
• 70% – caring for self, not capable of normal activity or work
• 60% – requiring some help, can take care of most personal requirements
• 50% – requires help often, requires frequent medical care
• 40% – disabled, requires special care and help
• 30% – severely disabled, hospital admission indicated but no risk of death
• 20% – very ill, urgently requiring admission, requires supportive measures or treatment
• 10% – moribund, rapidly progressive fatal disease processes
• 0% – death.