Blood WorkA uric acid blood test measures the waste product that forms gout crystals. Above about 6.8 mg/dL, uric acid can crystallize in joints, and if you take gout medicine, the American College of Rheumatology goal is under 6 mg/dL. At Passion Health, uric acid is $20, with no extra fee when added to a panel, or $49 on its own with the draw and a clinician's review.
What to know about uric acid and gout
Uric acid comes from breaking down purines, found in your own cells and in foods such as red meat, organ meats, shellfish and beer. Your kidneys clear most of it. When levels stay high, needle-shaped crystals can form in a joint and trigger gout: sudden, severe pain, swelling and redness, often in the big toe, ankle or knee.
High uric acid is common, and most people with it never get gout. It rises with kidney disease, some water pills (diuretics), alcohol, sugary drinks, obesity and genes. It can also form kidney stones.
Who should get a uric acid test?
- You've had a gout attack, or a joint flare your clinician suspects is gout.
- You take gout medicine such as allopurinol or febuxostat, to check you're at goal.
- You've had uric acid kidney stones.
The American College of Rheumatology doesn't recommend treating high uric acid in people who have never had gout or kidney stones, so testing people without symptoms rarely changes care.
A hot, swollen joint with fever needs same-day care, since a joint infection can look like gout.
Which tests are used for gout?
| Test | What it shows | Where it's included |
|---|---|---|
| Uric acid | The level in your blood. Above about 6.8 mg/dL it can crystallize. | Single test $20, added to any panel with no extra fee. |
| eGFR and creatinine | Kidney function, which raises uric acid when it's low and sets gout medicine doses. See the kidney function test guide. | Essential $59, Diabetes & Kidney $69. |
| A1c and cholesterol | Gout travels with diabetes and heart disease, so these shape the plan. | Essential $59, Diabetes & Kidney $69. |
The test that proves gout is joint fluid examined for crystals, done at an in-person visit. Blood tests support the diagnosis and guide treatment.
What your uric acid result means
On gout medicine, the goal is a uric acid under 6 mg/dL; some people with large deposits (tophi) aim lower. Lab reference ranges are wider and differ by lab and sex, but crystals can form above about 6.8 mg/dL whatever the range says.
During a flare, uric acid can read normal or even low. If it's normal during an attack, recheck about two weeks after the flare settles.
What a uric acid test can't tell you
A uric acid level can't prove that joint pain is gout, and a normal level doesn't rule it out. Pseudogout, joint infection and other kinds of arthritis can look the same, which is why a swollen joint may need an exam or a joint fluid test.
If your uric acid is high at Passion Health
A Texas-licensed clinician reviews every result. If you have gout, we:
- confirm the picture with your history, exam and kidney function;
- treat flares, and when you have repeated attacks, tophi or kidney stones, start a medicine that lowers uric acid and raise the dose step by step until you're under 6 mg/dL, as the ACR recommends;
- recheck uric acid every few weeks while the dose changes, then once or twice a year;
- review medicines, alcohol and sugary drinks that raise uric acid.
Get gout care online: gout treatment. For stones, see kidney stones.
Uric acid test cost in Texas
Self-pay. Uric acid is $20, with no extra fee when added to any panel. On its own it's $49 with the $29 draw and review fee. Added to the Diabetes & Kidney Panel, it's $89 and includes the kidney function, A1c and cholesterol tests that guide gout treatment.
With insurance. If we're in network with your plan, we bill it when the test is covered. You pay cash for a test only after we tell you the price in writing, and Medicare patients sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice first.
Uric acid test questions
What uric acid level causes gout?
Uric acid can form crystals above about 6.8 mg/dL, and the higher and longer it stays up, the more likely gout becomes. Many people with high levels never get gout, though.
Can you have gout with normal uric acid?
Yes. Uric acid often reads normal or low during a flare. If gout is suspected, recheck about two weeks after the flare, or confirm it with a joint fluid test.
What is the uric acid goal on allopurinol?
Under 6 mg/dL, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Your dose is raised step by step until you reach it.
Do I need to fast for a uric acid test?
No, though a big meal, alcohol or hard exercise the day before can raise it. If you add a panel with cholesterol and glucose, fast 8 to 12 hours before the draw.
What foods raise uric acid?
Red and organ meats, shellfish, beer and spirits, and drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Diet alone rarely fixes gout, but cutting these helps alongside treatment.