What to Know About a Uric Acid Test

What Is Uric Acid?

Uric acid is a waste product that your body makes when it breaks down chemicals called purines. Purines are created when cells in your body die. They also come from the breakdown of purine-rich foods and beverages, such as organ meats, seafood, and beer. Under normal circumstances, uric acid gets filtered from the blood by the kidneys and leaves the body in urine (pee), causing no harm.

When a Uric Acid Test Is Needed

A uric acid test may be ordered if you have symptoms or are at risk of gout, kidney stones, tumor lysis syndrome (TCS), or other kidney problems.

Types of Uric Acid Tests

There are two types of uric acid tests used alone or in combination to detect hyperuricemia:

Interpretation of Results

Hyperuricemia is diagnosed when uric acid levels are higher than the reference range of values (meaning the level at which uric acid levels are considered normal).

Follow-Up

On their own, a uric acid blood and urine test may strongly point to gout or kidney stones, but they are by no means definitive. This is especially true with gout in whom symptoms can sometimes develop when uric acid levels are low. For gout, other tests commonly used for diagnoses include:

• Synovial fluid analysis
• Joint ultrasound
• Dual-energy CT (DECT) scan

For kidney stones, other tests may be ordered to confirm the diagnosis or determine if uric acid is the cause of stone formation, such as:

• Blood tests
• Imaging studies
• Stone analysis

For TCS, a uric acid blood test accompanied by urinalysis is usually all that is needed for confirmation of the diagnosis.

Summary

A uric acid test involves either a blood test or urine test to detect elevations in uric acid levels, known as hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia can contribute to gout and kidney stones or lead to tumor lysis syndrome, a complication of chemotherapy and other forms of cancer treatment.

FAQs

• What is uric acid?
  • Uric acid is a waste product that your body makes when it breaks down chemicals called purines.
• What is hyperuricemia?
  • Hyperuricemia is when uric acid levels are higher than the reference range of values (meaning the level at which uric acid levels are considered normal).
• Why is a uric acid test needed?
  • A uric acid test may be ordered if you have symptoms or are at risk of gout, kidney stones, tumor lysis syndrome (TCS), or other kidney problems.
• How is a uric acid test performed?
  • A uric acid test involves either a blood test or urine test to detect elevations in uric acid levels.