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Test Code URIC Uric Acid

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Uric Acid

Uric Acid

Methodology

Colorimetric (reflectance spectrophotometry), Uricase

Patient Preparation

None

Collection Instructions

  • Standard phlebotomy practices.
  • Centrifuge specimens and remove serum or plasma from cellular material within 4 hours of collection.

Specimen Requirements

Container

Specimen Type

Tube

Lithium Heparin Plasma

PST

 or  or 

Serum

 or 

SST

 or  or 

 

Stability

Storage

Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

18-28°C

≤ 3 days if separated within 4 hours

Refrigerated

 2-8°C

≤ 5 days if separated within 4 hours

Frozen

≤-18 °C

≤ 6 months if separated within 4 hours

Rejection Criteria

Gross Hemolysis

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reported in mg/dL.

Age

Gender

Low

High

Critical Low

Critical High

0 – 13Y

ALL

2.0

6.0

N/A

N/A

13 – 16Y

Male

2.4

7.8

N/A

N/A

13 – 16Y

Female

3.0

5.8

N/A

N/A

16 – 18Y

Male

4.0

8.6

N/A

N/A

16 – 18Y

Female

3.0

5.9

N/A

N/A

18-150Y

Male

3.5

8.5

N/A

N/A

18-150Y

Female

2.5

6.2

N/A

N/A

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • Ortho reports a bias with the following:
    • Gentisic Acid at 5 mg/dL can cause a -22% bias
    • N-Acetylcysteine can cause both positive and negative biases
    • Hydralazine can cause negative bias            
  • Ortho reports no significant effect with the following:
    • Bilirubin up to 27 mg/dL
    • Lipemia up to 800 mg/dL
  • The following interpretive data is visible to practitioner: Hydralazine and Gentisic acid creates a negative bias.

Useful For

Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism. Elevations of uric acid occur in renal failure, prerenal azotemia, gout, lead poisoning, excessive cell destruction (e.g., following chemotherapy), hemolytic anemia, and congestive heart failure and after myocardial infarction. Uric acid is also increased in some endocrine disorders, acidosis, toxemia of pregnancy, hereditary gout, and glycogen storage disease type I. A low uric acid concentration may be found following treatment by some drugs (e.g., low-dose aspirin), with low dietary intake of purines, in the presence of renal tubular defects, and in xanthinuria.