People with symptoms of severe joint pain and swelling, suspected of having gout, should have a gout test to promptly treat the disease, avoiding the risk of muscle atrophy and disability.
Gout testing is performed to help doctors determine whether the patient has gout, distinguish gout from other diseases and check the cause of increased uric acid levels in the patient's blood. From there, a suitable treatment regimen is developed, determining the risk of side effects of the patient when taking urate-lowering drugs. For patients being treated for gout, regular blood uric acid testing helps assess the effectiveness of the treatment plan and promptly adjust if necessary.
MSc. Dr. Dinh Pham Thi Thuy Van, Orthopedic Trauma Center, Tam Anh General Hospital System, said that gout testing is often recommended for people with symptoms of gout or a history of suspected acute gout outbreak with signs such as: pain, swelling, redness in one or more joints; severe pain in the big toe joint; recurrent inflammation in the inner arch of the foot; transient symptoms of gout that resolve on their own.
Doctor Thuy Van checks the condition of an inpatient. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital
Some tests are often ordered to diagnose gout such as:
Blood test
Your doctor will use a blood sample to determine your uric acid levels and creatinine clearance. This is the most common way to diagnose gout. If you are diagnosed with gout, this test will be repeated several times to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
Joint fluid test
Synovial fluid is located in the space between joints, acting as a cushion for the ends of bones, reducing friction during joint movement. After being removed from the joint space, the fluid sample is examined under a microscope to look for abnormalities and diagnose the cause of arthritis. In addition, the synovial fluid is also Gram stained to look for needle-shaped urate crystals, characteristic of gout, as well as bacteria and other disease-causing factors.
Other tests
In addition to the two methods above, to diagnose gout and rule out other potential causes of joint pain, your doctor may order a number of tests such as: blood count, antibody test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-CCP test, rheumatoid factor (RF) test,... or X-ray, CT scan.
Testing helps detect gout early and have appropriate treatment plans. Photo: Freepik
Dr. Thuy Van said that normal uric acid concentration ranges from 1.5-7 mg/dl. When the body is producing too much uric acid or the kidneys are not properly eliminating this compound, it will cause the uric acid concentration in the patient's blood to increase abnormally. Accordingly, uric acid concentration is considered high if this index in men exceeds 7 mg/dl and 6 mg/dl in women.
The symptoms of gout have many similarities with other inflammatory conditions, so they are easily confused and can cause delays in treatment. This creates favorable conditions for the disease to develop into more serious conditions such as: recurrent gout pain, deposition of urate crystals under the skin into tophi, causing kidney stones, cardiovascular damage... In the long term, gout can even destroy joints, causing the patient to lose mobility, muscle atrophy and become disabled. Therefore, disease recognition plays a very important role in ensuring timely treatment with appropriate methods.
Doctor Thuy Van recommends that, to ensure accurate results, before testing for gout, patients should note: Do not drink alcohol, fast and drink for 4 hours before testing; do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, high-dose vitamin C on your own, and should discuss with your doctor about any medications you are taking.
Phi Hong
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