Uric Acid

What is a Uric Acid Test?

A uric acid test is a medical test or diagnostic procedure, also known as a serum urate or uric acid level test, meant to measure and quantify the concentration of uric acid in one’s blood through a blood or urine sample. Uric acid is the chemical compound produced by the body during the metabolic breakdown of food with purines.

Generally, a practitioner will request a uric acid test to diagnose, identify, and/or monitor kidney disorders, causes of kidney stones, gout, chemotherapy or radiation effects, and kidney function after a disease or injury.

Conducting a uric acid test similar to routine blood tests or urine tests. While collecting one’s urine is pretty straightforward and nameless, the blood collection process for the uric acid test is called venipuncture. Before collecting, the patient must inform the referring physician about any medication and supplements since substances such as alcohol, vitamin C, and X-ray examination dyes can affect the accuracy of one’s uric acid test results.Aside from that, the patient may also be asked to fast for at least 4 hours before the test.

The uric acid test results can indicate ailments related to gout, kidney stones, and kidney or liver disease, depending on whether they exceed or go below the normal uric acid level range.

How Does it Work?

Step One. Secure a Template Copy

Access and download a digital and printable uric acid test template to bring out when needed by doing one of the two steps below:

• Clicking the “Download Template” or “Use Template”
• Searching “Uric Acid Test” on Carepatron’s template library's search bar on the website or app

Step Two. Produce the Request

First, you must interview, assess, or physically examine your patient. Then, with your observations and findings, determine if a uric acid test is appropriate for your patient. If it is, fill out the template section designed as a request form.

Step Three. Submit the Form

Have your patient or a fellow physician caring for your patient submit the request to the laboratory technician so that the blood sample or urine sample may be collected from the patient.

Step Four. Note Down Interpretations

When the results return, you may use the other half of the template, a section dedicated to analysis, interpretation, and additional observations or findings. The information you obtain and other test results can be used for diagnosis or treatment approach formulation.

Step Five. Securely Store the Template

As a final step, store the completed template securely. It’s recommended that you keep physical copies in a secure location within your establishment that’s easily accessible. Meanwhile, digital copies can be stored on Carepatron, a HIPAA-compliant software for storing electronic patient records.

When Would you use this Test?

Healthcare practitioners may request and use the crucial diagnostic tool that is the uric acid tests when the patient is:

Experiencing Symptoms

When the person presents symptoms that can be attributed to high or low uric acid levels, such as joint pain, swelling, or any other signs of accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints, the practitioner may have the patient undergo the uric acid test.

Undergoing Cancer Treatment

Often, patients undergoing cancer treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy must also have their uric acid tested. That’s because these treatments can affect one’s metabolism and heighten the risk of hyperuricemia—a condition wherein uric acid levels become elevated. The test results one will obtain can help the referring physician mitigate potential complications from the side effects of the treatments mentioned above.

Monitoring the Risk of Patients with Kidney Stones

A uric acid test may also be requested often if the patient has a risk of developing kidney stones due to previously diagnosed gout, observed elevated uric acid levels during the first test, and shared lifestyle or medical history. The information obtained from the test can help the referring physician evaluate their risk and implement preventive measures.

It’s important to note that it’s highly encouraged for healthcare practitioners to request based on specific symptoms, scenarios, or medically relevant reasons. Hence the need for prior assessment, interview, or evaluation.

What do the Results Mean?

Even if the interpreting uric acid tests must consider multiple factors such as the patient’s condition, medical history, and reference ranges established by the laboratory that conducted the test analysis, there are still general guidelines that one can use as a basis for assessing these results. 

Before delving into that, however, here are the normal ranges you can write on your free blood uric acid test depending on gender and age when the sample is blood. 

Normal Ranges of Uric Acid Blood Test

• Men: 3.4 - 7.0 mg/dL or 265-663 mmol/L
• Women: 2.4 - 6.0 mg/dL or 143-357 mmol/L
• Children: 2.0 - 5.5 mg/dL or 119-327 mmol/L

Moving on to the results, here are general interpretations of elevated and low uric acid levels in the blood. 

Uric Acid Blood Test

• Elevated Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are higher than the upper limit of the normal range for their age and gender, it means that they have elevated or high levels of uric acid in the blood, also known as hyperuricemia. This means uric acid is being overproduced in the body, or the kidney cannot efficiently excrete the uric acid. These levels usually indicate gout, wherein uric acid crystals are deposited in the joints instead. 
• Low Levels: If the patient’s levels are close to or lower than the lower limit of the normal range of uric levels for their age and gender, they are relatively healthy. Though the referring physician is free to investigate the factors for the phenomenon, generally, having such levels isn’t a cause for concern. 

Normal Ranges of Uric Acid Urine Test

The normal range of uric acid levels in the urine is typically between 250 to 750 mg every 24 hours. 

As for results, here are the general interpretations of elevated and low uric acid levels in urine. 

• Elevated Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are higher than the upper limit provided in the normal range, they may have gout or kidney stones. 
• Low Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are lower than the lower limit, it indicates various health issues such as kidney disease, alcohol use disorder, and lead poisoning. Further examination is warranted to ascertain underlying causes if this is the case. 

Research & Evidence

Significant attention has been given to uric acid tests in clinical practice and medical research, as seen in the studies and articles published focusing on and highlighting the test’s effectiveness and importance in healthcare. Here’s a brief overview of the studies and research surrounding uric acid tests containing valuable insights into their application, implication, and effectiveness:

Uric Acid for Gout and Kidney Stones

The uric acid test has been vital in diagnosing and managing gout and kidney stones. Through the test, healthcare professionals can identify instances where uric acid levels deviate from the normal range and make more accurate diagnoses or effective management strategies. This capability underlines the test’s role and value in early intervention and treatment planning. 

Uric Acid Monitoring During Cancer Treatment

Monitoring a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy is crucial for mitigating potential complications and maintaining their overall well-being, given that a common consequence of cancer treatment is increased uric acid levels due to cell death within the body. This underscores the clinical significance of uric acid testing in the context of cancer treatment. 

Serum Uric Acid Testing and Kidney Disease

According to a study published in Frontiers, Serum Uric Acid (SUA) levels are a prognostic marker for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with chronic kidney disease. The findings suggest that having the patient undergo uric acid testing for monitoring can provide valuable insights into the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with CKD. Given this, one can see that uric acid testing can help healthcare practitioners predict patients' health outcomes. 

To conclude, these articles and studies collectively emphasize the integral role of uric acid testing in diagnosing and managing health conditions specifically related to metabolic health, gout, kidney stones/disease, and cancer treatment. 

References

• Hickman, R. J., MD. (2022). What is a uric acid test? Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/uric-acid-test-4769739
• Millar, H. (2021, April 14). What to know about uric acid tests. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/uric-acid-test
• Russo, E., Viazzi, F., Pontremoli, R., Barbagallo, C. M., Bombelli, M., Casíglia, E., Cicero, A. F. G., Cirillo, M., Cirillo, P., Desideri, G., D’Elia, L., Dell’Oro, R., Ferri, C., Galletti, F., Gesualdo, L., Giannattasio, C., Iaccarino, G., Leoncini, G., Mallamaci, F., . . . Borghi, C. (2021). Serum uric acid and kidney disease measures independently predict cardiovascular and total mortality: The Uric Acid Right for Heart Health (URRAH) project. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.713652