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Uric acid content. Uric acid in the blood is normal, as well as possible deviations

Uric acid is main product purine catabolism human body. Most of it is synthesized in the liver as a result of metabolic processes associated with so-called purine bases, and is excreted by the kidneys. The human body also has a depot uric acid, which is determined by the balance between its synthesis and excretion. This acid concentrated in blood plasma and extracellular fluids. If it is contained in excess, health problems can arise, in particular, a disease such as gout develops. Excess uric acid is deposited in sodium, forming crystals with sharp edges. These crystals can accumulate in any tissue of the body, but most often in the joints, thereby causing painful attacks, especially when moving. Why is uric acid elevated? Causes, treatment and diet to reduce it - we will consider all this in more detail.

Normal uric acid values

Uric acid levels differ slightly between women, men and children:

After the age of 60 normal values This indicator in women and men is leveled off and ranges from 210 to 430 µmol/l. How to determine the causes, treatment - we will consider all this below.

What is hyperuricemia?

The term "hyperuricemia" means elevated levels of uric acid. There are primary and secondary hyperuricemia, in which increased production uric acid or decreased excretion.

Primary hyperuricemia

Primary hyperuricemia is a congenital, or idiopathic, form. Approximately 1% of patients with primary hyperuricemia have a fermentation defect in purine metabolism. This leads to excess synthesis of uric acid.

Most often, primary hyperuricemia is congenital and can be associated with conditions such as:

  • Kelly-Siegmiller syndrome;
  • Lesch-Negan syndrome;
  • increased synthesis of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase (inborn error of metabolism).

It should be noted that congenital form hyperuricemia is rare.

Secondary hyperuricemia

Secondary hyperuricemia may be associated with an increased intake of purine from food and be accompanied by increased excretion of uric acid in the urine. This fact may indicate malignant tumors, AIDS, diabetes mellitus, severe burns and hypereosinophilia syndrome ( increased content eosinophils in leukocyte formula- determined in general analysis blood). Also, this form of hyperuricemia can be caused by various pathological conditions.

Most often, uric acid levels increase due to a violation of the diet, more precisely, eating foods high in purines. These include legumes, liver, kidneys, tongue, brains and meat (beef, pork). Chicken meat, rabbit meat, and turkey meat are safer in this sense, but they cannot be eaten without restrictions either. Gout is a disease in which uric acid in the blood is significantly elevated. The (most common) causes of this condition are nutritional disorders. Uncontrolled consumption of high-calorie foods fatty foods leads to the development of this disease.

Under what conditions is uric acid elevated? Causes. Treatment

Another reason for the increase in uric acid may be weakening of the kidneys, which are unable to remove excess acid from the body. In this case, the development of urolithiasis, i.e., the formation of kidney stones, is possible.

  • pneumonia;
  • tuberculosis;
  • typhoid fever;
  • erysipelas;
  • leukemia;
  • psoriasis;
  • eczema;
  • liver diseases;
  • severe diabetes;
  • poisoning with methyl alcohol.

A full examination should be carried out for people whose uric acid is higher than normal, but no symptoms are observed, that is, if this indicator in women has reached 400 µmol/l, and in men 500 µmol/l. This condition is called asymptomatic hyperuricemia and may indicate acute gouty arthritis. It is characterized by fluctuations in uric acid content from normal indicators until they are exceeded several times.

How to determine the concentration of uric acid in the body?

In order to find out your uric acid levels, you need to do a blood test. For this study it is taken from a vein. This analysis does not require special preparation. But usually it is taken in the morning on an empty stomach in the treatment room of a medical institution.

The medical professional must present a referral for testing, which must be prescribed by a doctor. It is quite possible that, in parallel with uric acid, blood urea, creatinine, glucose and other indicators will be examined to determine possible concomitant diseases.

What to do if uric acid is high?

High uric acid levels indicate the need for treatment. Your doctor will tell you how to remove uric acid from the body. In some cases, specialists for hyperuricemia prescribe medicines, but the main treatment is to follow a certain diet, which must be followed throughout life. In addition, if concomitant diseases are identified, they need to be treated as much as possible. Very often gout is caused by overweight body, obesity. Therefore, you need to try to bring your weight back to normal.

From chronic diseases gout is most often accompanied by diabetes and atherosclerosis, in this case you should periodically undergo preventive maintenance treatment at least once a year.

At increased rates uric acid, you must constantly adhere to a certain diet.

  • Rich meat broths are prohibited. And therefore they also have soups. Meat dishes should be limited to three times a week - no more. Moreover, you need to choose a low-fat product. And it is preferable to eat it boiled or baked. Fatty foods are strictly prohibited.
  • Salted, pickled and smoked foods are prohibited. From shrimp and boiled crayfish It’s also better to refuse. The diet should be limited in salt, and the drinking regime, on the contrary, should be strengthened. You need to drink about 2 liters of liquid per day. How to remove uric acid using mineral water? It is good to use alkaline water for this.
  • You should be careful with dishes made from sorrel, mushrooms and cauliflower.
  • Legumes (peas, beans and others) should be sharply limited in case of hyperuricemia.
  • It is better not to consume lactic acid products (ryazhenka, Snezhok, kefir, sour cream) at all if uric acid levels are high.
  • and it is advisable to completely eliminate baked goods from puff pastry from the diet.
  • You should be careful when using spices and spices. It is also advisable to exclude chocolate; it is only sometimes allowed in very limited quantities.
  • Alcohol is prohibited, as well as kvass, various energy drinks and sodas, and very strong tea, too.
  • Fasting is strictly contraindicated. Fasting days are possible; it is better to spend them on dairy products and fruits.

Physiotherapy for gout

To reduce the concentration of uric acid, doctors often prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures, such as plasmaphoresis. This procedure helps cleanse the blood of uric acid salts. But this effect does not last long without following a diet. A diet for high uric acid is mandatory. Prohibited foods should be completely eliminated from the diet. Gout is a chronic disease, so a diet low in purine is always necessary.

Traditional methods of treatment for gout

Exist traditional methods to reduce uric acid levels. These are herbal pears, grapes and strawberry mustaches.

Carrot tops are good for gout. For this fresh leaves Finely chop one root vegetable and pour boiling water over it. Leave until completely cooled, then filter. The medicine is ready, take it 1/4 cup at least 3 times a day.

Freshly squeezed celery and carrot juices also help remove uric acid. They can be drunk separately or mixed in various proportions.

Conclusion

In what cases can uric acid be elevated, the causes, and treatment for this condition have been discussed. It should be remembered that for people with high uric acid levels, the main therapy is proper nutrition and a lifestyle without alcohol.

The concentration of uric acid in the blood reflects exchange of purine bases. This is a group of nitrogen-containing compounds that are needed for the formation of DNA and RNA. When they are broken down, a chain of biological reactions occurs, resulting in the formation of uric acid. It is normally excreted by the kidneys and intestines.

With increasing concentration due to increased intake or reduced excretion of salt (urate), they are deposited in the joints, accelerating the development of atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension.

There are also beneficial features this substance protects cells from destruction free radicals, that is, it exhibits antioxidant activity. At slight increase At its level, a person’s memory and assimilation of new information and intellectual abilities improve.

Indications for the study may be: diagnosis of gout, hereditary predisposition to violation purine metabolism, treatment monitoring gouty arthritis, metabolic syndrome, renal failure, chemotherapy and radiation for cancer, comprehensive assessment excretion of nitrogen by the kidneys, determining the prognosis of heart disease, the risk of heart attack and stroke, identifying the cause of neurasthenia.

Symptoms of level changes: constant pain in the joints or acute attack, especially in the area thumb on the foot; detection of compactions over the joints of the hands; decreased urine output, pain in lumbar region, temperature, frequent and painful urination, detection of blood in the urine, insomnia, irritability, aggressiveness, headaches, dizziness, impaired concentration, nausea.

The analysis requires blood from a vein taken at morning time . 3-4 days before the examination, you need to stick to a diet with limited foods that contain a lot of purine bases, give up alcoholic drinks, protein shakes, sports supplements, anabolic steroids. Intense physical stress is avoided.

Test results for women and men are normal

For children under one year old fluctuations in values ​​are 80-310 µmol/l.

Temporal increase causes sports, foods rich in purines, smoking, excessive sun exposure, and the last months of pregnancy. The most common reasons A pathological increase in uric acid in the blood is associated with gouty arthritis and salt deposition in the kidneys (uric acid diathesis).

Reasons for decreased concentration: hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty degeneration liver, first two trimesters of pregnancy, administration of radiocontrast agents, taking Allopurinol, Lipanor, Traikor, copper metabolism disorder (leads to cirrhosis of the liver).

Read more in our article about uric acid in the blood, the reasons for increasing and decreasing levels.

Read in this article

Why take a uric acid test?

The concentration of uric acid in the blood reflects the exchange of purine bases. This is a group of nitrogen-containing compounds that are needed for the formation of DNA and RNA. When they are broken down, a chain of biological reactions occurs, resulting in the formation of uric acid. It is normally excreted by the kidneys and intestines.

When its concentration increases due to increased intake or decreased excretion of salts (urates), they are deposited in the joints, accelerating the development of diabetes mellitus.

At the same time, this substance also has beneficial properties. Uric acid protects cells from destruction by free radicals, that is, it exhibits antioxidant activity. With a slight increase in its level, a person’s memory and assimilation of new information and intellectual abilities improve.

Indications for testing uric acid levels may include:

  • diagnosis of gout;
  • hereditary predisposition to impaired purine metabolism;
  • monitoring the treatment of gouty arthritis, metabolic syndrome, renal failure, chemotherapy and radiation for cancer;
  • comprehensive assessment of renal nitrogen excretion;
  • determining the prognosis of heart disease, the risk of heart attack and stroke;
  • identifying the cause of neurasthenia.

Symptoms that require a blood test for this substance include::

  • persistent pain in the joints or an acute attack of pain, especially in the area of ​​the big toe;
  • detection of compactions (deposits of crystals in the form of nodules) over the joints of the hands and feet, elbows, on ears, shins, thighs, forearms;
  • decreased urine output - swelling, sudden increase in body weight;
  • pain in the lumbar region, temperature, frequent and painful urination, detection of blood in the urine;
  • insomnia, irritability, aggressiveness, headaches, dizziness, impaired concentration, nausea.

How to prepare for the event

For the analysis, blood from a vein taken in the morning is needed. 3-4 days before the examination, the patient needs to adhere to a diet with limited foods, which contain many purine bases. These include:

  • all offal (especially liver, kidneys);
  • meat and fish broths;
  • spinach, sorrel;
  • cocoa, chocolate;
  • coffee and strong tea;
  • legumes;
  • asparagus, Brussels sprouts.

It is also important to give up alcoholic beverages, protein shakes, sports supplements, and anabolic steroids. During the day before the analysis, intense physical stress is excluded. The last meal is taken later than 10 hours before the visit to the laboratory. Immediately before the diagnosis (at least 30 minutes) you should not smoke; emotional and motor rest is required.

Analysis results for women and men

Research at urgent indications can be completed in a few minutes. During a routine examination, the results are given to the patient on the day of the test.

Norm

Physiological indicators of uric acid depend on the age and gender of the subject. A pattern has been noted - people with blood group 3 have a slightly increased level, which is regarded as a variant of the norm.


Level of uric acid in the blood

For children under one year of age, the fluctuations in values ​​are 80-310 µmol/l.

Increased

A slight increase may be associated with sports or physical exertion.. In such cases, testosterone is intensively produced. This hormone promotes the growth muscle mass and for this purpose it retains phosphorus and nitrogenous bases, and hence the formation nucleic acids. Also, a temporary increase is caused by:

  • foods rich in purines;
  • smoking;
  • excessive sun exposure;
  • last months of pregnancy.

The most common causes of a pathological increase in blood uric acid are gouty arthritis and salt deposition in the kidneys (uric acid diathesis). These diseases lead to:

  • excess meat products in nutrition;
  • increased protein formation under the influence of disorders hormonal levels or use of anabolic drugs;
  • impaired excretion of uric acid from the body (polycystic kidney disease, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis);
  • malignant neoplasms, leukemia, chemotherapy and radiation therapy(accelerated tissue breakdown and retention of nucleotides for the formation of new proteins occurs);
  • excess insulin in pancreatic tumors;
  • relative increase in insulin due to low cell response to it (insulin resistance) in type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome;
  • long-term use of aspirin, thiazide diuretics, hormonal and antitumor drugs;
  • Down's disease;
  • congenital metabolic disorders (enzymopathies);
  • arterial hypertension;
  • hemolytic anemia;
  • heart failure;
  • lead salt poisoning.

Watch the video about normal uric acid

Less than normal

A decrease in uric acid concentration occurs in the following conditions:

  • hepatitis – viral, toxic, alcoholic;
  • cirrhosis, fatty liver;
  • the first two trimesters of pregnancy (due to an increase in circulating blood volume and increased filtration of urine by the kidneys);
  • administration of radiocontrast agents;
  • taking Allopurinol, Lipanor, Traikor;
  • disturbance of copper metabolism (leads to cirrhosis of the liver).

How to return to normal with gout

For patients with increased uric acid levels, it is important to first change their diet. From the diet you need to exclude fats (meat and fish), offal, red meat, alcohol, sardines, herring. Limit:

  • table salt;
  • mushrooms, legumes;
  • radishes, eggplants and cabbage, tomatoes;
  • canned food and pickles, marinades.

The calorie content of the diet should also be controlled, since the diet is based on carbohydrate foods. Not very large quantities allowed lean fish, eggs, poultry. Drinking regime It is recommended to increase to 3 liters. It is important to drink plain water, fruit and berry juices, and tea, cocoa and coffee are prohibited.

In order for uric acid salts to begin to dissolve and be excreted from the body, its level must be reduced to half the normal level. To do this, medications are prescribed that remove urates from the body (Probenecid) and inhibit their formation (Allopurinol).

Prevention of changes in uric acid in the blood

With a slight increase in uric acid content and with for preventive purposes It is recommended to use herbs that increase the excretion of salts from the body. These include Birch buds, lingonberry leaf, bearberry. Excessive physical exertion should be avoided, but exercise regularly therapeutic exercises or walking to activate kidney function and speed up metabolic processes in the body.

Uric acid in the blood is an indicator of protein metabolism, in particular purine bases. A blood test for its level can be prescribed as an independent study, but most often it is part of the renal complex.

An increase in concentration occurs with gout, uric acid diathesis, kidney dysfunction, and is also regarded as a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. To correct violations, you need to adjust your diet and water regime.

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  • Uric acid is a very important component that is synthesized in the liver and with its help, excess nitrogenous compounds are removed from the human body. This substance is increased quantity in the blood plasma it turns into sodium salts, which are called urart. Therefore, uric acid, the norm for which various groups people may differ, often causing dangerous and very serious diseases.

    The level of the substance in the blood is determined using a special study. First of all, biochemical analysis to determine the amount of uric acid in the blood is prescribed for suspected gout and various diseases kidney

    Reasons for deviation from the norm

    It is especially dangerous when the level of uric acid in the blood is higher than normal. With this deviation in adults, the following common causes are identified:


    In addition, various serious diseases can increase the content of the substance in men and women:

    • Of cardio-vascular system;
    • Kidney;
    • Liver;
    • Oncological diseases;
    • Allergy.

    Advice! You should know that protein diet can also cause the amount of uric acid to be higher than normal.

    The danger of abnormal uric acid levels

    Urartu can settle in any internal organs of a person. But most often, they accumulate in the joints, which causes the development of gout, the main symptom of which is severe pain arising during movement.

    Another danger associated with increased levels of uric acid in the blood is the risk of developing urolithiasis in men and women. The disease can cause inflammation of organs genitourinary system and lead to the development of serious pathologies.


    When the blood uric acid level in men and women is below normal, this is also dangerous. This pathology is called hypourecmia. Most often, levels below the normal level are associated with hereditary diseases.

    Level of uric acid in the blood

    The level of uric acid in the blood depends on age and gender. Moreover, if the analysis is carried out to determine the amount of uric acid in the blood of a child under the age of 15, then gender does not play a significant role. The permissible standard values ​​of the substance in the blood in this case are 120 – 330 mmol/l.

    In adults who have reached adulthood, the norm of the substance differs for women and men, but depends little on the age factor. In this case it amounts to:

    • For women - 200 - 300 mmol/l.
    • For men – 250 – 450 mmol/l.

    Advice! You should know that due to the characteristics of women’s bodies, some specialists, when deciphering the analysis, expand the permissible range within 140 – 400 mmol/l.

    After 60 years, the range of acceptable values ​​increases. It is considered normal if the analysis shows the content of uric acid in the blood in the range:

    • 210 – 430 mmol/l for women;
    • 250 – 480 mmol/l for men.


    The fact that the normative value of the substance is higher in men is explained by the large volume of muscle mass, which requires an increase in the amount of protein products in the diet.

    Ways to normalize uric acid levels

    If the reason that a biochemical analysis showed a substance content in the blood higher than normal is poor nutrition, then the most in a simple way normalization is a low-purine diet. This means that the following foods should be removed from the diet:

    • Fat meat;
    • By-products;
    • Legumes;
    • Chocolate products;
    • Butter products;
    • Coffee;
    • Spicy dishes.

    When the test shows the content of a substance in the blood is below normal, you need to undergo full examination, which will most likely confirm the presence of hereditary genetic pathologies. Unfortunately, such diseases are difficult to treat.

    In any case, if the analysis showed the level of uric acid in the blood below or above normal against the background of a serious illness, then in order to normalize it, substances should be administered therapeutic measures aimed at treating a specific disease.

    Advice! Any medications that lower uric acid levels should only be used as directed by a doctor.

    Folk remedies to reduce uric acid levels

    Traditional medicine offers many recipes for normalizing this substance in the blood. First of all, to remove uric acid, you need to drink a lot of liquid. At the same time, useful herbal infusions from:

    • Birch leaves;
    • Stinging nettle;
    • Lingonberry leaves;
    • Mint;
    • St. John's wort;
    • Linden color;
    • Daisies.


    It is recommended to alternate such decoctions and take them regularly, a few sips 2-3 times a day. Within a month, with their help it will be possible to reduce the level of uric acid significantly lower.

    Advice! Any use folk remedies must be agreed with your doctor.

    • At night, a glass of natural homemade yogurt.
    • 100 g in the morning boiled water with the addition of lemon juice.

    To avoid health problems, it is important for both women and men after 45 years to monitor the level of uric acid in the blood. If you detect in a timely manner that the level of a substance has become lower or higher than normal, then you can correct the problem quickly and easily without using medications. In this case, it will be possible to avoid the development pathological processes in the body, which can lead to dangerous negative consequences.

    What is uric acid? Many people don't know this. This component is not only urine, but also blood. It is a marker of purine metabolism. Its concentration in the blood helps specialists diagnose a number of diseases, including gout. Based on the level of this element in the blood, you can monitor the body’s response to treatment.

    What is this element?

    In the human body there are constantly metabolic processes. The result of the exchange can be salts, acids, alkalis and many other chemical compounds. To get rid of them, they need to be delivered to the appropriate part of the body. This task is performed with the help of blood, which is filtered by the kidneys. This explains the presence of uric acid in urine.

    Let's look at what this is in more detail. Uric acid is the end product of the breakdown of purine bases. These elements enter the body with food. Purines are involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), energy molecules ATP, and coenzymes.

    It is worth noting that purines are not the only source of uric acid formation. It can be the result of the breakdown of body cells due to disease or old age. The source for the formation of uric acid can be synthesis in any cell of the human body.

    The breakdown of purines occurs in the liver and intestines. Mucosal cells secrete special enzyme– xanthine oxidase, with which purines react. The end result This "transformation" is acid.

    It contains sodium and calcium salts. The share of the first component is 90%. In addition to salts, this includes hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon.

    If uric acid is higher than normal, this indicates a metabolic disorder. As a result of such a malfunction, people experience the deposition of salts in their tissues, and as a result, severe diseases develop.

    Functions

    Despite the fact that excess uric acid can cause significant harm to the body, it is still impossible to do without it. She performs protective functions and has beneficial properties.

    For example, in the process of protein metabolism, it acts as a catalyst. Its influence also extends to hormones responsible for brain activity- adrenaline and norepinephrine. This means that its presence in the blood helps stimulate brain function. Its effect is similar to caffeine. People who have high levels of uric acid in their blood from birth are more active and proactive.

    It has acidic and antioxidant properties that help heal wounds and fight inflammation.

    Uric acid performs protective functions in the human body. She fights free radicals. As a result, the risk of the appearance and development of benign and cancerous tumors is reduced.

    Submission of analysis

    A similar test is prescribed to determine the patient’s health status, as well as to diagnose a disease that could cause an increase in the level of uric acid in the blood. To obtain true results, you must first prepare for donating blood.

    You cannot eat 8 hours before visiting the laboratory; biomaterial is collected on an empty stomach. Spicy, salty and peppery foods, meat and offal, and legumes should be excluded from the menu. This diet should be followed for 24 hours before donating blood. During this same period, you should stop drinking alcoholic beverages, especially wine and beer.

    Uric acid higher than normal may be due to stress, emotional stress, or physical activity on the eve of the test.

    Diuretic medications, vitamin C, caffeine, insulin, beta-blockers and ibuprofen can also distort the results. If you cannot refuse such medications, you should warn your doctor before taking the test.

    The laboratory will take deoxygenated blood. The results of the study are prepared within 24 hours.

    Normal indicators

    If the results of the biochemical analysis showed figures corresponding to the data given in the table below, then everything is normal.

    Age category (years) Uric acid levels (µmol/l)
    Children under 12 120-330
    Up to 60 Men 250-400
    Women 200-300
    From 60 Men 250-480
    Women 210-430
    From90 Men 210-490
    Women 130-460

    As can be seen from the table, the level increases with age. Highest value in older men, this is the normal level of uric acid in the blood, since the need for proteins in the male body is higher. This means that they consume more foods rich in purine and, as a result, increased uric acid in the blood.

    What can cause deviations from the norm?

    The level of uric acid in the blood depends on the balance of 2 processes:

    • Protein synthesis
    • Elimination rates final products protein metabolism.

    When a protein metabolism disorder occurs, this can provoke an increase in the content of this acid in the blood. Concentrations of uric acid in the blood plasma above the normal range are referred to as hyperuricemia, concentrations below the normal range are referred to as hypouricemia. Concentrations of uric acid in urine above and below normal are known as hyperuricosuria and hypouricosuria. Salivary uric acid levels may be related to blood uric acid levels.

    Causes of hyperuricemia:

    • Taking diuretics (diuretics),
    • Decrease in the intensity of excretion of substances by the kidneys,
    • Toxicosis,
    • Alcoholism,
    • Kidney failure
    • Malnutrition or prolonged fasting.

    Increased levels can also occur in diseases such as AIDS, diabetes, cancer, etc.

    It is worth noting that even a slightly increased level of this substance can cause the formation of solid deposits of uric acid salts - urates - in organs and tissues.

    Increased rate

    Now we’ll find out why uric acid in the blood is elevated: causes, symptoms and consequences.

    In medicine, hyperuricemia is divided into two types: primary and secondary.

    Primary hyperuricemia

    This type is congenital or idiopathic. This pathology occurs with a frequency of 1%. Such patients have a hereditary defect in the structure of the enzyme, which affects the processing of purine. As a result, there is a high level of uric acid in the blood.

    The appearance of secondary hyperuricemia may occur due to poor nutrition. Eating large quantities of foods containing purine can significantly increase the excretion of uric acid in the urine.

    This type of hyperuricemia may be associated with the following conditions:

    Gout - painful condition, caused by needle-shaped crystals of uric acid deposited in joints, capillaries, skin and other tissues. Gout can occur if the serum uric acid level reaches 360 µmol/L, but there are cases when the serum uric acid value reaches 560 µmol/L without causing gout.

    In the human body, purines are metabolized into uric acid, which is then excreted in the urine. Regular consumption of certain types of purine-rich foods - meat, especially beef and pork liver (liver, heart, tongue, kidneys) and some types of seafood, including anchovies, herring, sardines, mussels, scallops, trout, haddock, mackerel and tuna. There are also foods whose consumption is less dangerous: turkey, chicken and rabbit. Moderate consumption Purine-rich vegetables are not associated with increased risk gout Gout used to be called the “disease of kings” because gourmet dishes and red wine contain a large number of purines.

    Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

    This extremely rare inherited disorder is also associated with high serum uric acid levels. This syndrome causes spasticity, involuntary movement and cognitive retardation, as well as manifestations of gout.

    Hyperuricemia may increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease

    Stones in the kidneys

    Saturated levels of uric acid in the blood can lead to one form of kidney stones when urates crystallize in the kidneys. Crystals acetic acid may also contribute to the formation of calcium oxalate stones by acting as "seed crystals"

    Kelly-Siegmiller syndrome,

    Increased activity of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase synthesis,

    Patients with this disease undergo a biochemical test for increased uric acid annually.

    Secondary hyperuricemia

    This phenomenon may be a sign of the following diseases:

    • AIDS,
    • Fanconi syndrome,
    • cancerous tumors,
    • Diabetes mellitus (Hyperuricemia may be a consequence of insulin resistance in diabetes, rather than a precursor),
    • High degree burns
    • Hypereosinophilia syndrome.

    There are other reasons for increased uric acid - impaired kidney function. They cannot remove excess acids from the body. As a result, kidney stones may appear.

    High levels of uric acid are observed in the following diseases:

    • Pneumonia,
    • Tuberculosis,
    • Methyl alcohol poisoning,
    • Eczema,
    • Typhoid fever,
    • Psoriasis,
    • Erysipelas,
    • Leukemia.

    Asymptomatic hyperuricemia

    There are cases when the patient has no symptoms of the disease, but the indicators are elevated. This condition called asymptomatic hyperuricemia. It occurs in acute gouty arthritis. Indicators for this disease are unstable. At first, the acid content seems to be normal, but after a while the numbers can double. However, these changes do not affect the patient’s well-being. This course of the disease is possible in 10% of patients.

    Symptoms of hyperuricemia

    With hyperuricemia, symptoms vary age groups are different.

    In very young children the disease manifests itself as skin rashes: diathesis, dermatitis, allergies or psoriasis. The peculiarity of such manifestations is their resistance to standard methods of therapy.

    In older children, the symptoms are somewhat different. They may have stomach pain, slurred speech, and bedwetting.

    The course of the disease in adults is accompanied by joint pain. The feet and joints of the fingers are the first to be affected. Then the disease spreads its effect to the knees and elbow joints. IN advanced cases, skin covering over the affected area turns red and becomes hot. Over time, patients begin to experience pain in the stomach and lower back during urination. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, the blood vessels and nervous system. The person will suffer from insomnia and headache. All this can lead to heart attack, angina and hypertension.

    Treatment

    Some specialists prescribe medications to ensure that uric acid in the blood is normal. But a certain food diet over the rest of life is more effective method treatment.

    If the patient has hyperuricemia, treatment includes dieting. The patient's diet additionally includes:

    carrot juice,

    Birch juice,

    Flax seed,

    celery juice,

    Oatmeal broth,

    Cranberry juice,

    Rosehip infusion.

    These herbal infusions and juices contribute to the rapid dissolution and leaching of salt deposits from the body.

    Fatty foods, meat broths, fried, salted, smoked and pickled foods are excluded. Meat can only be eaten boiled or baked. It is recommended to stop using meat broths, since purines are transferred from the meat into the broth when cooked. Meat intake limit – 3 times a week.

    Under special prohibition alcoholic drinks. In exceptional cases, only 30 g of vodka is allowed. Beer and red wine are especially contraindicated.

    Give preference to alkaline mineral water.

    Salt consumption should be kept to a minimum. Ideally, it is better to abandon it altogether.

    It is necessary to monitor the frequency of food intake. Fasting can only worsen the patient's condition and increase uric acid levels. Therefore, the number of meals per day should be 5-6 times. Fasting days It is better to carry out on fermented milk products and fruits.

    Some types of products should be excluded from the menu:

    • Sorrel,
    • Salad,
    • Tomatoes,
    • Grape,
    • Chocolate,
    • Eggs,
    • Coffee,
    • Cakes,
    • Turnip,
    • Eggplant.

    Apples, potatoes, plums, pears, and apricots help reduce uric acid levels. You should also monitor water balance– 2.5 liters of liquid per day should be drunk.

    High acid levels in the blood can also be treated with physiotherapeutic procedures. This way, plasmapheresis will help cleanse the blood of excess salts. Do not neglect therapeutic exercises. A number of simple exercises (leg swings, “bicycle”, walking in place, etc.) will help stabilize metabolism. Massage also helps break down uric acid salts.

    From medicines complexes are prescribed that have anti-inflammatory, diuretic and analgesic properties. There are 3 types of drugs for hyperuricemia:

    • Actions aimed at removing excess uric acid: Probenecid, aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, allopurinol.
    • Helps reduce acid production. They are prescribed to patients who have had urolithiasis and those diagnosed with kidney failure,
    • Helping to transfer uric acid from the tissue into the blood, and promoting its excretion: “Zinkhoven”.

    The course of treatment involves the diagnosis and elimination of concomitant diseases and the factors that caused them. Thereby eliminating the reasons that caused the increase in the level of uric acid in the blood. If uric acid in the blood is elevated, this negatively affects a person’s condition. Salt sediment settles on tissues and organs. Treatment for such a deviation is varied: diet, physiotherapy, medications and ethnoscience. All these techniques together can help normalize acid levels.

    Uric acid in a blood test is a reason to think about your health. It occurs as a result of the metabolic breakdown of purines by the digestive system.

    Purines are found in significant quantities in protein foods, namely in organ meats, yeast, fish, and some types of seafood. Should I be alarmed if I receive a biochemistry result “above normal” in a uric acid test?

    Every person’s body has a natural amount of this acid; it is regulated by the balance of the substance synthesized and excreted. Uric acid is mainly concentrated in the human liver. The body gets rid of purine breakdown products through the kidneys. High levels of uric acid in a person's blood are called hyperuricemia. This condition can be either congenital or acquired.

    If the body is healthy, then the proportion of acid in its blood is regulated depending on the nature of the foods it consumes, which can be either saturated or low in purines. Among adults, the concentration of uric acid in the blood of men is usually higher than that of women. In children, the same indicator in the blood serum is lower than in adults.

    What determines the rise or fall of uric acid levels?

    The congenital form of the disease is also called primary (found in Lesch-Negan and Kelly-Siegmiller syndromes). Secondary hyperuricemia usually occurs as a result of an unbalanced diet with a predominance of foods rich in purines. Also, the disease can be caused by eating fatty and high-calorie foods or, on the contrary, be the result of starvation.

    Typically, the manifestation of acquired hyperuricemia is accelerated by the following disorders and conditions:

    • psoriasis;
    • lead intoxication;
    • exhaustion;
    • hemolytic anemia;
    • alcoholism;
    • a diet rich in purines;
    • consequences of chemotherapy;
    • myelodysplastic disease.

    A person may also experience the opposite condition - hypouricemia, that is reduced content uric acid, which also carries or congenital ( hereditary factor), or acquired character (in patients with AIDS, in those who have suffered severe burns, in cases of cancer).

    The condition may develop due to the use of drugs that reduce the concentration of uric acid, or from too often undergoing X-ray diagnostics with the introduction of contrast fluid.

    Uric acid level: in children - 120-320 µmol/l, in women - 150-350 µmol/l, in men - 210-420 µmol/l.

    How to Diagnose Hyperuricemia

    A biochemical blood test plays a key role in diagnosing the disease. To confirm the high proportion of uric acid in the body, the doctor prescribes a 24-hour urine test. Tests are often prescribed if the patient suffers from urolithiasis or there is a suspicion of gout, to check the efficiency of the kidneys. A test for hyperuricemia is carried out if a person is sick or has had lymphoproliferative diseases (leukemia, lymphoma).

    In order for a blood test to be indicative, several rules of preparation for it must be observed:

    1. Blood is donated on an empty stomach (the previous meal was at least 7 hours ago).
    2. Before taking the test, you should avoid taking medications for 2 weeks if possible. If it is impossible to stop taking them, the referral must describe in detail the dosage and current regimen of medications.
    3. One day before laboratory research you should not eat fried foods, you should give up alcohol, and avoid physical fatigue.
    4. The accuracy of the analysis increases if 2 days before the test you do not eat foods rich in purines (meat, fish, legumes, seafood, drinks containing caffeine, etc.).
    5. It is advisable to differentiate the time between taking a blood test for uric acid and diagnostic studies on x-rays, ultrasound, physiotherapy.

    Interpretation of the analysis and further prescriptions should be carried out only by the attending physician.

    Elevated uric acid in a blood test: why is it dangerous?

    When interacting with sodium, uric acid crystallizes into sodium urate. Deposition of urate crystals in the kidneys and joints leads to gout and chronic arthritis. Therefore, for the diagnosis of these diseases, the level of uric acid in the body is so important.

    Gout can develop when purine metabolism is disrupted. Men, according to statistics, get it more often than women; the disease often manifests itself after 50 years. Due to the effect of the female sex hormone estrogen on reducing the formation of uric acid, women before menopause develop hyperuricemia extremely rarely.

    In the vast majority of cases, gout occurs precisely due to hyperuricemia against the background of delayed excretion of uric acid from the kidneys.

    The general course of the disease occurs in 4 stages: hyperuricemia without external manifestations, acute or chronic arthritis, the period between crises and the deposition of gouty salts in the joints.

    Determining the level of acid in the blood has important for the diagnosis of gout at the asymptomatic stage. IN male body dangerous concentration- more than 480 µmol/l, in women - more than 380 µmol/l. There is a small chance of developing gouty arthritis even at the asymptomatic stage.

    The development of the disease occurs in waves, which can be tracked by a blood test, when over a certain period of time the concentration of uric acid periodically returns to normal from a level 3-4 times higher than the usual level.

    In some patients sharp pains in joints are observed only periodically, in others it is destructive the process is underway slowly, but without serious exacerbations. To monitor the patient's condition, doctors prescribe x-rays of the joints. In most cases, the disease does not directly threaten the patient’s life, but concomitant manifestations significantly reduce its quality. On average, one third of gout patients suffer from kidney stones. Up to a quarter of patients die from kidney failure. Hyperuricemia entails cardiovascular pathologies and may be a risk factor for coronary disease heart, arterial hypertension.

    Treatment and prevention of hyperuricemia

    This disease can be treated with drugs that stimulate the excretory capacity of the kidneys, or allopurinol, which affects purine metabolism.

    The key to recovery from hyperuricemia is special diet, in which there should be no foods with a high concentration of purines. Alcohol-containing drinks are excluded, including beer (although sometimes a little dry wine is allowed). Consumption of baked, fried, smoked foods is not allowed. Meat by-products and internal organs(heart, kidneys, brain, liver) are prohibited, as are sausage, canned food and legumes (beans, peas, seeds, soy). Soups should be lean.

    In addition, a patient with hyperuricemia should not consume cheese, whole milk, radishes, broths, spinach, sorrel, grapes, cauliflower, juices, cocoa, cream cakes, chocolate, canned food. On the contrary, the appearance in the diet of chicken, rabbit, turkey, and various vegetable soups welcome.

    Dairy and fermented milk products, herbs, various vegetables, fruits and berries are recommended ( White cabbage, peeled potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, watermelons, lemons, green apples), olive and vegetable oil. Good result give fasting days.

    For healthy people those who are afraid of developing hyperuricemia, the restrictions are much less strict, but it is advisable to diversify their diet fermented milk products, lean meat and fish, fruits, vegetables and soups made from them, eggs, compotes and rosehip decoctions.

    A high proportion of uric acid in a blood test indicates several reasons. Treatment of the disease begins in order to get rid of the original cause that caused the excess substance in the body. To avoid serious complications it is necessary to gradually reduce the level of uric acid. If a person already has gout, do not limit yourself drug therapy anti-inflammatory and painkillers, because it's just symptomatic treatment which will provide temporary relief.

    Long content higher level uric acid in the body can be life-threatening, which is why it is so important to change your diet in time and switch to healthy image life.