Increased uric acid in the blood is gout?

Uric acid is a product of natural metabolism in each person's body. This substance is derived from the catabolism of adenine and guanidine of nucleic acids, or is a metabolic product of substances with purine nuclei. The main source of uric acid generation includes both endogenous and exogenous sources:
Exogenous sources are from daily food that provides the body with purines (about 100-200mg/day). Foods and beverages containing purines such as animal organs, marine fish, seafood, alcohol, red meat... Endogenous sources due to the metabolism of nucleic acids in the body (about 600mg/day), too This process mainly takes place in the liver, a small part in the intestinal mucosa. Most uric acid in the blood exists in free form, with only about 4% bound to serum proteins. For men, the average blood uric acid level is 210 - 420 umol/L, for women it is 150 - 350 umol/L. When the test results show that uric acid levels in the blood exceed the aforementioned levels, it is considered hyperuricemia.

There are many causes leading to an increase in uric acid levels in the blood, such as:
Increased uric acid production
Primary hyperuricemia (30% of Gout patients are idiopathic) organization Increases cell metabolism such as lymphoma, cancer Anemia caused by hemolytic anemia, malaria or G6PD deficiency Eat a lot of foods high in purines such as organs, red meat, fish, beer,... Fat people Obesity Frequent fasting, dieting, excessive exercise Decreased uric acid excretion
People with kidney failure Alcohol abusers Using diuretics People with damage to the distal renal tubules Using drugs that reduce acid load Uric acid in urine: aspirin, diuretics,... Patients with acidosis Due to genetic factors Due to many other causes such as pregnancy toxicity and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, hypothyroid patients, people with Lead poisoning, trauma also causes increased uric acid.

Many people misunderstand that every increase in blood uric acid is gout, this is a misconception. Because people are concluded to have gout when they have just increased uric acid levels in the blood, accompanied by uric acid deposition and causing damage in the joints. Therefore, to accurately diagnose whether you have gout or not, you need to be examined and performed in-depth laboratory diagnostic tests to make a correct conclusion based on available criteria.

In which, the criteria for conclusive diagnosis of gout according to ACR/EULAR 2015 include:
Input criteria: More than or 1 episode of pain and swelling in a peripheral joint or bursa (bursitis) presence of urate crystals in the joints, symptoms or synovial burs or tophi If no urate crystals are detected, the patient's laboratory diagnosis is made, including: + Detect inflammation of one or several joints such as the ankle joint. or middle of the foot (1 point), big toe joint (2 points)
+ There are signs of the nature of acute inflammatory episodes such as joint redness, inability to withstand pressure, or palpation of the inflamed joint, difficulty in walking, movement, etc. joint movement (1 point each)
+ Maximum pain duration is less than 24 hours, pain relief is less than or equal to 14 days, complete recovery between exacerbations is 1 time (1 point) or many relapses ( 2d) when anti-inflammatory drugs are not used
+ Yes (4 pts) or no (0 pts) appear tophi particles
Paraclinical tests give results including:
Blood uric acid test:
< 240 mmol/l (-4 pts) 240 – < 3 60 mmol/l (0d) 360 – < 480 mmol/l (2 pts) 480 – < 600 mmol/l (3 pts) ≥ 600 mmol/l (4 pts) Joint fluid test
No urate crystals detected (-2 pts)
Diagnostic imaging
Ultrasound: DECT (dual energy computed tomography) scanner: special urate color capture. There is 1 of 2 evidence (4 points) If the total score is >/= 8, the patient is concluded to have gout. This is the latest standard, the gold standard to accurately diagnose gout for patients.

As mentioned above, increased uric acid is the main cause of gout, so patients need to know how to control uric acid levels in the blood at a normal level, prevent gout effectively by:
Limit foods high in protein such as seafood (squid, crab, shrimp), red meat (beef, buffalo, goat), internal organs such as lungs, liver Eat lots of green vegetables, tubers, fruits Drink 1 - 1.5 liters of water / day to limit the precipitation of urate salts and increase the ability to filter uric acid Maintain weight to reduce pressure on joints Do not use alcohol and carbonated drinks Maintain healthy living habits Strength: don't stay up late, avoid stress, keep your body clean to help circulate blood, exercise appropriately by walking gently for 30 minutes a day, doing yoga,... Test to check uric acid levels, check Periodic health check Periodic health check-up helps to detect diseases early, thereby developing a treatment plan for optimal results. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy.
The patient's examination results will be returned to the home. After receiving the results of the general health examination, if you detect diseases that require intensive examination and treatment, you can use services from other specialties at the Hospital with quality treatment and services. outstanding customer service.