Uric acid
What it measures, and what changes the number.
Uric acid is the end product of the body's breakdown of purines, compounds found in cells and in many foods. This blood test measures how much uric acid is circulating in serum or plasma. Most of it is cleared by the kidneys, and some leaves through the gut.
Because the kidneys handle most uric acid, it is often read alongside creatinine, urea and eGFR. It frequently appears on metabolic panels with glucose and triglycerides.
The result can shift with recent food and alcohol, hydration, and hard exercise before the draw, so some labs prefer a fasting morning sample. Most labs use an enzymatic uricase method, and results can differ slightly between methods. Spanish-language reports may list it as Urato or Ácido úrico.
Often read alongside: Creatinine, Urea, eGFR (CKD-EPI), Glucose, Triglycerides