Uric Acid in Urine

Test Overview

The uric acid urine test measures the amount of uric acid in a sample of urine collected over 24 hours. Uric acid is produced from the natural breakdown of your body's cells and from the foods you eat.

Most of the uric acid is removed from the body in urine. A small amount passes out of the body in stool. But if too much uric acid is being produced, the level in the urine will increase. If the kidneys are not able to remove it from the blood normally, the level of uric acid in the urine will decrease.

High blood levels of uric acid in the body can cause solid crystals to form within joints. This causes a painful condition called gout. If gout remains untreated, uric acid crystals can build up in the joints and nearby tissues, forming hard lumpy deposits called tophi. High levels of uric acid in the urine can cause kidney stones.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: October 31, 2007
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
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