Uric Acid (Serum)

Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds found in DNA/RNA. They also enter the circulation from consuming certain foods (red meat), drinks (alcoholic beverages like beer and wine) or from normal breakdown and turnover of cells in the body. Under normal circumstances most uric acid is excreted by the kidneys in the urine; with the remainder excreted in the stools.
If too much uric acid is produced/consumed or not enough is excreted, it can accumulate in the body and cause increased levels in the blood (hyperuricemia). Excess uric acid can cause the condition called gout – an acute inflammation of joints when crystals derived from uric acid enter the joint fluid. Excess uric acid can also lead to kidney disease, as a result of deposition in the kidneys or kidney stone formation, as a result of increased urinary excretion.
Increased production can be caused by, for example, increased cell death, as may be seen with some cancer treatments, or, rarely, may be due to an inherited tendency to overproduce uric acid. Decreased elimination of uric acid is often a result of impaired kidney function due to kidney disease. In many cases, the exact cause of excess uric acid is unknown. Doctors seldom need to test for low levels of uric acid.
Uric acid levels are also increased in pre-eclampsia and may be measured as part of the assessment of this condition.