Short Name: UA
Sample required: Serum
Result Time: 1 Days
Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of purines. Purines are chemicals that come from nucleic acids (DNA). They enter the circulation from digestion of foods, or drinks (such as liver, anchovies, mackerel, dried beans and peas, beer, and wine), or from normal breakdown and turnover of cells in the body. Most uric acid is removed by the kidneys and disposed of in the urine; the remainder is excreted in the feces. The presence of EXCESS uric acid, called hyperuricemia, can lead to a type of arthritis known as gout an inflammation that occurs in joints when crystals derived from uric acid form in the joint fluid. The most common reasons for accumulation of uric acid are an inherited tendency to overproduce uric acid or impaired kidney function that results in decreased ability to excrete uric acid. It can also result from high intake of purine-rich foods, and high fructose intake