Is hyperuricemia contagious?

Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
Updated on January 12, 2025
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Hyperuricemia is not contagious. Hyperuricemia refers to a condition where the concentration of uric acid in the blood exceeds the normal upper limit. Typically, for males and post-menopausal females, a blood uric acid concentration greater than 420 µmol/L, or pre-menopausal females with more than 348 µmol/L, is considered hyperuricemia. Most severe cases of hyperuricemia are due to deficiencies in uric acid metabolism enzymes and fall under the category of liver metabolism disorders. Moreover, mild to moderate hyperuricemia is often associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and coronary heart disease, among others. It is a type of nucleic acid metabolic disease, and therefore, it is not contagious.

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Hyperuricemia Clinical Symptoms

Some patients with hyperuricemia may not have any symptoms, and only discover elevated uric acid levels during a physical examination. However, some patients may experience gouty arthritis, manifesting as redness, swelling, heat, and pain in a localized joint, commonly in the joints of the toes. It may also affect joints like the ankle and elbow. Additionally, some patients may develop gouty nephropathy, leading to renal insufficiency. Therefore, hyperuricemia should be taken seriously to prevent severe conditions such as gouty arthritis and other serious symptoms associated with gout.

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Hyperuricemia manifestations

Most cases of hyperuricemia usually have no obvious clinical symptoms, and it can take years to decades from the increase in blood uric acid to symptom onset, with some individuals never exhibiting obvious clinical symptoms throughout their lifetime. However, as age increases, the incidence of gout becomes higher. When accompanied by acute gouty arthritis, patients may experience severe joint pain. If blood uric acid levels remain high over a long period, this can lead to the formation of gouty tophi and uric acid stones, among other issues.

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Is hyperuricemia dangerous?

Hyperuricemia is generally diagnosed when the blood uric acid level in males exceeds 420 micromoles per liter and in females exceeds 360 micromoles per liter. Some patients with hyperuricemia are asymptomatic, but others may develop gouty arthritis, characterized by local joint redness, swelling, heat, and pain, and even limited mobility. Some patients may develop gouty nephropathy, leading to abnormal kidney function. There are also instances of patients developing tophi, which can cause joint deformity and even limited mobility. Therefore, if hyperuricemia is not controlled promptly, it poses certain risks and may lead to complications such as tophi, gouty arthritis, and gouty nephropathy.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
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The causes of hyperuricemia

The causes of hyperuricemia can currently be divided into two categories: primary and secondary. The cause of most primary hyperuricemia is not yet clear. A few cases are due to enzyme deficiencies, which are related to either excessive production or reduced excretion of uric acid. There is also idiopathic hyperuricemia, such as familial kidney diseases that are associated with hyperuricemia, among others. Some secondary hyperuricemias, for example, are secondary to some congenital metabolic diseases, such as glycogen storage disease. It can also be due to certain systemic diseases, such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, polycythemia vera, hemolytic anemia, etc. Some cases are physiological increases, such as the intake of foods rich in purines, long-term eating and fasting states can also cause increased blood uric acid. Some medications can also lead to hyperuricemia, such as thiazide diuretics, furosemide, ethanol, immunosuppressants, aspirin, etc., which can also cause hyperuricemia. Therefore, the causes of hyperuricemia are diverse, and some causes are still unclear.

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Causes of hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia is divided into primary hyperuricemia and secondary hyperuricemia. Primary hyperuricemia is mainly due to a disorder in the metabolism of purines in the body, leading to excessive production of uric acid, which in turn causes hyperuricemia. Prolonged duration can greatly increase the risk of gout. Secondary hyperuricemia refers to hyperuricemia caused by excessive production or excretion obstacles due to some common diseases, the most common being chronic renal failure or some tumors, etc.