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Questions and Answers
What is uric acid formed from?
What is uric acid formed from?
The breakdown of nucleic acids
What is uric acid an end product of?
What is uric acid an end product of?
Purine metabolism
Where is uric acid transported to?
Where is uric acid transported to?
The kidney
What percentage of uric acid is excreted in urine?
What percentage of uric acid is excreted in urine?
Where is the remainder of uric acid excreted?
Where is the remainder of uric acid excreted?
What is hyperuricemia?
What is hyperuricemia?
What are the two main reasons for hyperuricemia? (Select all that apply)
What are the two main reasons for hyperuricemia? (Select all that apply)
What percentage of gout cases are due to overproduction of uric acid?
What percentage of gout cases are due to overproduction of uric acid?
What can lead to overproduction of uric acid? (Select all that apply)
What can lead to overproduction of uric acid? (Select all that apply)
What is the most common cause of an inability to excrete enough uric acid?
What is the most common cause of an inability to excrete enough uric acid?
What other factors can lead to an inability to excrete enough uric acid? (Select all that apply)
What other factors can lead to an inability to excrete enough uric acid? (Select all that apply)
What other condition can lead to defective uric acid excretion?
What other condition can lead to defective uric acid excretion?
What is gout?
What is gout?
What is a uric acid blood test done for? (Select all that apply)
What is a uric acid blood test done for? (Select all that apply)
What is the normal range for serum uric acid in men?
What is the normal range for serum uric acid in men?
What can affect the results of a uric acid blood test? (Select all that apply)
What can affect the results of a uric acid blood test? (Select all that apply)
What type of test is used to identify MSU crystals in acute gout?
What type of test is used to identify MSU crystals in acute gout?
How are MSU crystals identified in acute gout?
How are MSU crystals identified in acute gout?
What shape do MSU crystals appear under a polarized light microscope?
What shape do MSU crystals appear under a polarized light microscope?
What color are MSU crystals under a polarized light microscope?
What color are MSU crystals under a polarized light microscope?
Flashcards
What is uric acid?
What is uric acid?
Uric acid is a waste product produced during the breakdown of purines, which are components of DNA and RNA.
What is hyperuricemia?
What is hyperuricemia?
Hyperuricemia is a condition where there's too much uric acid in the blood.
What's the most common cause of hyperuricemia?
What's the most common cause of hyperuricemia?
The most common cause of hyperuricemia is when the kidneys aren't efficient at filtering and removing uric acid from the blood.
What is gout?
What is gout?
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What are MSU crystals?
What are MSU crystals?
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When is a uric acid blood test done?
When is a uric acid blood test done?
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What are the normal uric acid levels in men and women?
What are the normal uric acid levels in men and women?
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Which medications can lead to increased uric acid levels?
Which medications can lead to increased uric acid levels?
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What substances can lead to inaccurate uric acid readings?
What substances can lead to inaccurate uric acid readings?
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What factors can raise uric acid levels?
What factors can raise uric acid levels?
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What is synovial fluid aspiration?
What is synovial fluid aspiration?
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How are MSU crystals identified?
How are MSU crystals identified?
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Study Notes
Uric Acid
- Uric acid is formed from the breakdown of nucleic acids and is an end product of purine metabolism.
- Uric acid is transported from the liver to the kidney, where 70% is excreted into urine.
- The remaining uric acid is excreted into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Hyperuricemia
- Hyperuricemia can be caused by producing too much uric acid (about 10% of cases).
- It can also happen from the inability to excrete enough uric acid into the urine (about 90% of cases).
Causes of Overproduction of Uric Acid
- Genetic abnormalities can cause some people to overproduce uric acid.
- Increased cell breakdown (e.g., chemotherapy) can lead to high uric acid.
- Certain foods (meats, beans, beer) contain high levels of purines, which can lead to elevated uric acid.
Causes of Reduced Uric Acid Excretion
- Genetic kidney defects are the most common cause.
- Medications (diuretics, low-dose aspirin, alcohol) can also lead to reduced uric acid excretion.
- Renal disease can also impact uric acid excretion.
Gout
- Gout is a syndrome caused by inflammation due to monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposits in joints and soft tissues, or uric acid crystal in the urinary tract.
Uric Acid Blood Test
- A uric acid blood test is used for diagnosing gout.
- It's also used to monitor the effectiveness of gout treatment.
- It can help identify kidney stones caused by high uric acid levels.
- The test is also used to monitor uric acid in people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
- Normal serum uric acid values: 4.0 to 8.6 mg/dL in men and 3.0 to 5.9 mg/dL in women.
Factors Affecting Uric Acid Test Results
- Certain medications (diuretics, theophylline, low-dose aspirin) can increase uric acid levels.
- High doses of vitamin C, niacin, caffeine, and substances like theobromine (found in chocolate and tea) can cause inaccurate high uric acid readings.
- Excessive alcohol use, high-protein diets, and strenuous exercise can raise uric acid levels.
Diagnostic Tests for Gout (Synovial Fluid Aspiration)
- MSU crystals are identified using a polarized light microscope in acute gout.
- Needle-shaped crystals of monosodium urate monohydrate can be observed, sometimes engulfed by neutrophils.
- Polarized microscopy reveals yellow, needle-shaped crystals.
- Urate crystals in urine analysis appear envelope-shaped.
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