What Causes Abnormal Uric Acid Levels?

Abnormal uric acid levels can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'critical'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose abnormal uric acid levels, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "abnormal uric acid levels" as a symptom. Here are three possibilities:

Syndrome X
Heart Disease
Molybdenum Need

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

history of severe heart attack

2hr postprandial glucose 160-200mg%

hypertriglyceridemia

sudden shortness of breath

rapid pulse rate

low HDL cholesterol level

very low HDL cholesterol level

history of birth control pill use

heart attack(s) in mother

high systolic blood pressure

undigested fat in stools

very great unexplained weight loss

... and more than 10 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of abnormal uric acid levels:

Cause	Probability	Status
Molybdenum Need	91%	Confirm
Syndrome X	27%	Unlikely
Heart Disease	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate having had recent lab tests, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Uric acid (plasma). Unit: mg/dL [umol/L]

Possible responses:

→ Don't know
→ Under 3.5 [210]
→ 3.5 to 4.5 [210-270]
→ 4.6 to 7.0 [280-420] (normal)
→ Over 7.0 [420]

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate low uric acid level, normal uric acid level or high uric acid level, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Coronary Disease / Heart Attack

Elevated levels of serum uric acid increase the risk of heart attack.

In evaluating 5,926 subjects who were between 25 and 74 years of age, after 16.4 years of follow-up, there were 1,593 deaths of which 45.9% were attributed to cardiovascular disease. It was found that increased serum uric acid levels were independently and significantly associated with the risk of cardiovascular mortality. [JAMA, May 10, 2000;283(18): pp.2404-2410]

Syndrome X / Metabolic Syndrome

Molybdenum Need

Xanthine oxidase, the enzyme that immediately produces uric acid, uses molybdenum as a cofactor. Molybdenum is known to raise uric acid levels, which is why people with gout (a condition of elevated high uric acid levels) are told to avoid molybdenum supplements.

Your Uric Acid Level