At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To detect high levels of uric acid in the claret, which could exist a sign of the condition gout, or to monitor uric acrid levels when undergoing chemotherapy or radiation handling; to notice loftier levels of uric acid in the urine in order to diagnose the cause of kidney stones and to monitor those with gout who are at risk of developing such stones

When To Go Tested?

When you have joint pain or other symptoms that your healthcare practitioner suspects may be due to gout; when yous have had or are going to accept certain chemotherapy or radiation therapies for cancer; when you lot accept recurrent kidney stones; when y'all take gout or are otherwise at risk for kidney stone formation

Sample Required?

A blood sample fatigued from a vein in the arm or a 24-hour urine sample

Test Preparation Needed?

None may be needed; however, some institutions recommend fasting. Follow any instructions you lot are given.

Y'all may be able to find your examination results on your laboratory'due south website or patient portal. Even so, you are currently at Testing.com. Y'all may have been directed here past your lab'southward website in club to provide you with background information about the test(s) you had performed. You will demand to return to your lab's website or portal, or contact your healthcare practitioner in order to obtain your test results.

Testing.com is an accolade-winning patient teaching website offering information on laboratory tests. The content on the site, which has been reviewed by laboratory scientists and other medical professionals, provides general explanations of what results might mean for each test listed on the site, such as what a high or low value might advise to your healthcare practitioner most your health or medical condition.

The reference ranges for your tests can exist constitute on your laboratory report. They are typically establish to the correct of your results.

If y'all exercise non have your lab report, consult your healthcare provider or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range.

Laboratory test results are non meaningful past themselves. Their significant comes from comparison to reference ranges. Reference ranges are the values expected for a good for you person. They are sometimes called "normal" values. By comparing your examination results with reference values, you lot and your healthcare provider can encounter if any of your examination results autumn exterior the range of expected values. Values that are outside expected ranges can provide clues to help place possible conditions or diseases.

While accuracy of laboratory testing has significantly evolved over the by few decades, some lab-to-lab variability can occur due to differences in testing equipment, chemical reagents, and techniques. This is a reason why so few reference ranges are provided on this site. It is of import to know that yous must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

For more than information, please read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean.

What is existence tested?

Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of purines. Purines are nitrogen-containing compounds institute in the cells of the body, including our DNA. This test measures the level of uric acid in the blood or urine.

As cells get old and die, they break down, releasing purines into the blood. To a lesser extent, purines may come up from the digestion of certain foods, such every bit liver, anchovies, mackerel, dried beans and peas and certain alcoholic drinks, primarily beer. Most uric acid is removed from the trunk by the kidneys and is eliminated from the body in the urine, with the remainder eliminated in the stool.

If also much uric acrid is produced or not enough is removed, it can accumulate in the torso, causing increased levels in the claret (hyperuricemia). The presence of backlog uric acid can cause gout, a condition characterized by inflammation of the joints due to the germination of uric acid crystals in the joint (synovial) fluid. Excess uric acrid tin can also be deposited in tissues such equally the kidney, leading to kidney stones or kidney failure.

The build-up of as well much uric acid in the body can be due to producing too much, not eliminating plenty, or a combination of both. Elevated levels of uric acrid can occur when there is an increase in cell expiry, as seen with some cancer therapies or, rarely, as an inherited tendency to produce besides much uric acrid. Decreased emptying of uric acid is often a outcome of dumb kidney function due to kidney affliction.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A blood sample is obtained past inserting a needle into a vein in the arm. A 24-60 minutes urine sample may be collected for the urine uric acid test.

Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?

No test preparation may be needed. Some institutions, nevertheless, recommend fasting for 4 or more hours. Follow any instructions provided and exist sure to hash out with your health intendance practitioner any medications you take before having this test performed.

Common Questions

How is it used?

The uric acid blood examination is used to notice high levels of this compound in the blood in order to help diagnose gout. The test is also used to monitor uric acrid levels in people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. Rapid cell turnover from such treatment tin result in an increased uric acid level.

The uric acid urine test is used to help diagnose the crusade of recurrent kidney stones and to monitor people with gout for stone formation.

When is it ordered?

The uric acrid blood test is ordered when a healthcare practitioner suspects that someone has a loftier uric acid level. Some people with high levels of uric acid have a affliction called gout, which is a common form of arthritis. People with gout endure from joint hurting, most ofttimes in their toes, but in other joints as well. The test is also ordered when cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy to ensure that uric acrid levels practise not become dangerously high.

The urine uric acid test may be ordered when a person suffers from recurrent kidney stones or has gout and needs to be monitored for formation of these stones.

What does the exam consequence mean?

Blood
Higher than normal uric acrid levels in the claret is called hyperuricemia and can be acquired by producing likewise much uric acid in the body or the inability of the kidneys to adequately remove enough uric acid from the body. Further investigation is needed to determine the cause of the overproduction or decreased elimination of uric acrid.

There are several genetic inborn errors that affect the pause-down of purines. Cancer that has spread from its original location (metastatic), multiple myeloma, leukemias, and cancer chemotherapy can cause increased production of uric acrid. Chronic kidney disease, acidosis, toxemia of pregnancy, and alcoholism can crusade decreased elimination of uric acid.

Increased concentrations of uric acrid tin cause crystals to form in the joints, which can atomic number 82 to the joint inflammation and hurting characteristic of gout. Uric acid tin can likewise form crystals or kidney stones that can impairment the kidneys.

The American College of Rheumatology published guidelines on the management of gout in 2012 that recommend that target uric acid levels should be below 6 mg/dL for people diagnosed with the condition.

Low levels of uric acrid in the blood are seen much less unremarkably than high levels and are seldom considered cause for business. Although low values tin can be associated with some kinds of liver or kidney diseases, Fanconi syndrome, exposure to toxic compounds, and rarely as the result of an inherited metabolic defect (e.g., Wilson affliction), these conditions are typically identified by other tests and symptoms and not by an isolated low uric acrid event.

Urine
Loftier uric acid levels in the urine are seen with gout, multiple myeloma, metastatic cancer, leukemia, and a diet high in purines. Those at run a risk of kidney stones who have high uric acid levels in their urine may be given medication to forbid stone formation.

Low urine uric acid levels may be seen with kidney disease, chronic booze apply, and pb poisoning.

Is in that location anything else I should know?

Many drugs can increase or subtract the level of uric acid. In item, diuretic drugs like thiazide drugs can crusade uric acrid levels to go up.

Aspirin and other salicylates have varying effects on uric acid. At low aspirin levels (as may occur in persons taking aspirin merely occasionally), aspirin can increase blood uric acid. On the other hand, in high doses (equally may be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis), aspirin actually lowers the concentration of uric acid.

For people who have uric acid kidney stones or gout, foods that are high in purine content should be avoided, including organ meats (like liver and kidneys), sardines and anchovies. Alcohol also should exist avoided because information technology slows down the removal of uric acid from the body. Fasting, rapid weight loss, stress, and strenuous exercise all raise uric acid levels.

Although the uric acid exam cannot definitively diagnose gout, a examination for monosodium urate in synovial fluid (articulation fluid) tin.

Some people may have a high level of uric acid in the blood without having associated signs or symptoms (asymptomatic hyperuricemia). However, general screening to detect this condition is non recommended, nor is treatment considered appropriate.

My uric acid level is high, but I don't have gout. What does this mean?

Non anybody who has high uric acrid gets gout. Loftier levels of uric acid in the claret exercise not ever atomic number 82 to symptoms. This status, called asymptomatic hyperuricemia, is fairly common. It is generally thought that this condition does not require any follow upward or handling unless the affected person is at a loftier gamble of complications. People with family unit members who have had gout, kidney stones or kidney disease due to hyperuricemia may receive handling even though they are not experiencing symptoms.

Related Content

View Sources

Sources Used in Current Review

2017 review performed past Brooke K Whitaker, MS, MLS(ASCP).

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Khanna, D et. al. 2012 American College of Rheumatology Guidelines for Management of Gout. Part i: Systematic Not-pharmacologic and Pharmacologic Therapeutic Approaches to Hyperuricemia. Arthritis Care & Research, Vol. 64, No. ten, Oct 2012, pp 1431–1446. DOI 10.1002/acr.21772. Bachelor online at http://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/ACR%20Guidelines%20for%20Management%20of%20Gout_Part%201.pdf. Accessed on 4/xxx/17.

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