Urate (Uric Acid)

• Uric acid is the major end metabolite of purine.
• Purine found in nucleic acid and exogenous sources
• Commonly used as marker for gout and pre-Eclampsia
• Levels do not usually indicate severity of disease

Causes of Increased Urate in serum

1. Idiopathic
2. Gout
3. Impaired renal excretion
4. Pre-eclampsia (urate rises 0.01 for every week of pregnancy normally)
5. Disseminated malignancy
6. Liver disease and CCF
7. Glycogen storage disorders (Type 1)
8. Psoriasis
9. Haemolytic and sickle cell anaemia
10. Drugs
    • Most diuretics
    • Catecholamine
    • Salicylates

Causes of Decreased Urate levels

1. Defective tubular absorption
   1. Wilson’s disease
   2. Fanconi syndrome
2. Paradoxically in certain neoplasm’s
   1. Myeloma, lung carcinoma, Hodgkin’s