Home » Information » Uric Acid Test

Uric Acid Test

What is a uric acid test?

This test measures the amount of uric acid in your blood or urine. Uric acid is a normal waste product that’s made when the body breaks down chemicals called purines. Purines are substances found in your own cells and also in some foods. Foods with high levels of purines include liver, anchovies, sardines, dried beans, and beer.

Most uric acid dissolves in your blood, then goes to the kidneys. From there, it leaves the body through your urine. If your body makes too much uric acid or doesn’t release enough into your urine, it can make crystals that form in your joints. This condition is known as gout. Gout is a form of arthritis that causes painful inflammation in and around the joints. High uric acid levels can also cause other disorders, including kidney stones and kidney failure.

Other names: serum urate, uric acid: serum and urine

What is it used for?

A uric acid test is most often used to:

  • Help diagnose gout
  • Help find the cause of frequent kidney stones
  • Monitor the uric acid level of people undergoing certain cancer treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause high levels of uric acid to go into the blood.

Why do I need a uric acid test?

You may also need a uric acid test if you have symptoms of gout. These include:

  • Pain and/or swelling in the joints, especially in the big toe, ankle, or knee
  • Reddish, shiny skin around the joints
  • Joints that feel warm when touched

You may also need this test if you have symptoms of a kidney stone. These include:

  • Sharp pains in your abdomen, side, or groin
  • Back pain
  • Blood in your urine
  • Frequent urge to urinate
  • Pain when urinating
  • Cloudy or bad-smelling urine
  • Nausea and vomiting

In addition, you may need this test if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer. These treatments can raise uric acid levels. The test can help make sure you get treated before levels get too high.

What happens during a uric acid test?

A uric acid test can be done as a blood test or a urine test.

See also  Zika Virus Test

During a blood test, a health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

For a uric acid urine test, you’ll need to collect all urine passed in a 24-hour period. This is called a 24-hour urine sample test. Your health care provider or a laboratory professional will give you a container to collect your urine and instructions on how to collect and store your samples. A 24-hour urine sample test generally includes the following steps:

  • Empty your bladder in the morning and flush that urine away. Record the time.
  • For the next 24 hours, save all your urine passed in the container provided.
  • Store your urine container in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice.
  • Return the sample container to your health provider’s office or the laboratory as instructed.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

You don’t need any special preparations for a uric acid blood test. Be sure to carefully follow all the instructions for providing a 24-hour urine sample.

Are there any risks to the test?

There is no known risk to having a uric acid blood or urine test.

What do the results mean?

If your blood test results show high uric acid levels, it can mean you have:

  • Kidney disease
  • Preeclampsia, a condition that can cause dangerously high blood pressure in pregnant women
  • A diet that includes too many purine-rich foods
  • Alcoholism
  • Side effects of cancer treatment

Low levels of uric acid in blood are uncommon and not usually cause for concern.

If your urine test results show high uric levels, it may mean you have:

  • Gout
  • A diet that includes too many purine-rich foods
  • Leukaemia
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Side effects of cancer treatment
  • Obesity

Low levels of uric acid in urine can be a sign of kidney disease, lead poisoning, or heavy alcohol use.

There are treatments that can reduce or raise uric acid levels. These include medicines and/or dietary changes. If you have questions about your results and/or treatments, talk to your health care provider.

See also  ALT Blood Test

Is there anything else I need to know about a uric acid test?

Some people with high uric acid levels don’t have gout or other kidney disorders. You may not need treatment if you don’t have symptoms of disease. But be sure to talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about your uric acid levels, and/or if you start to have any symptoms.

References

  1. Hinkle J, Cheever K. Brunner & Suddarth’s Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 2nd Ed, Kindle. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; c2014. Uric Acid, Serum and Urine; p. 506–7.
  2. Kids Health from Nemours [Internet]. Jacksonville (FL): The Nemours Foundation; c1995–2018. Blood Test: Uric Acid; [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/test-uric.html
  3. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2018. 24-Hour Urine Sample; [updated 2017 Jul 10; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/glossary/urine-24
  4. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2018. Kidney Stone Analysis; [updated 2017 Nov 27; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/tests/kidney-stone-analysis
  5. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2018. Toxemia of pregnancy (Preeclampsia); [updated 2017 Nov 30; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/glossary/toxemia
  6. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2018. Uric Acid; [updated 2017 Nov 5; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/tests/uric-acid
  7. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998–2018. High: uric acid level; 2018 Jan 11 [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/high-uric-acid-level/basics/definition/sym-20050607
  8. Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck & Co. Inc.; c2018. Gout; [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/bone,-joint,-and-muscle-disorders/gout-and-calcium-pyrophosphate-arthritis/gout
  9. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Blood Tests; [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests
  10. UF Health: University of Florida Health [Internet]. Gainesville (FL): University of Florida; c2018. Uric Acid-blood: Overview; [updated 2018 Aug 22; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://ufhealth.org/uric-acid-blood
  11. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2018. Health Encyclopedia: 24-Hour Urine Collection; [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=92&ContentID=P08955
  12. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2018. Health Encyclopedia: Uric Acid (Blood); [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=uric_acid_blood
  13. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2018. Health Encyclopedia: Uric Acid (Urine); [cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=167&ContentID=uric_acid_urine
  14. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Blood: Test Overview; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-blood/aa12023.html
  15. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Blood: What To Think About; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 10 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-blood/aa12023.html#aa12088
  16. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Blood: Why It Is Done; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-blood/aa12023.html#aa12030
  17. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Urine: Test Overview; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-urine/aa15402.html
  18. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Urine: What To Think About; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 10 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-urine/aa15402.html#aa16824
  19. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2018. Health Information: Uric Acid in Urine: Why It Is Done; [updated 2017 Oct 9; cited 2018 Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/uric-acid-in-urine/aa15402.html#aa15409
See also  Lung Function Tests