What condition may result in elevated uric acid levels and increased risk of gout?

Chronic kidney disease is associated with elevated uric acid levels and an increased risk of gout due to the kidneys' impaired ability to filter and excrete uric acid. Normally, the kidneys play a critical role in maintaining balanced uric acid levels in the blood by removing excess uric acid through urine. However, in chronic kidney disease, the renal function declines, leading to reduced clearance of uric acid. As uric acid accumulates in the bloodstream, it can precipitate in the joints, causing inflammation and the characteristic pain and swelling of gout.

While dehydration, diabetes, and hypertension can contribute to overall health issues and may influence uric acid levels to some extent, they do not have the same direct and pronounced effect on uric acid excretion as chronic kidney disease does. For instance, dehydration might cause transient increases in uric acid due to reduced blood volume and concentration effects, but it does not fundamentally impair the kidney’s ability to eliminate uric acid over the long term. Thus, chronic kidney disease is the most relevant condition linked to significant and sustained elevations in uric acid levels leading to gout.