Uric acid, kidney function and inflammation — the blood tests for gout
The short answer
Gout Panel bundles 3 tests — Uric Acid, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and Heart & Body Inflammation Test (hs-CRP) — for $62.99 plus one $6 lab processing fee (about $21.00 per test). Fast 8–12 hours before the draw; results post in 2–4 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; one draw at Quest or Labcorp.
TestWell Price
$62.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
Gout is caused by uric acid crystals forming in a joint, so serum uric acid is the first blood test — but it is not the whole work-up. Uric acid can read normal during an acute flare, and the level only matters against kidney function, since the kidneys clear two-thirds of the body's uric acid and declining function is the most common reason it climbs. This panel pairs uric acid with a comprehensive metabolic panel (creatinine, eGFR, electrolytes, liver enzymes and glucose, which also screens for the metabolic syndrome that travels with gout) and high-sensitivity CRP for the inflammatory burden between flares. It is the right panel after a first attack of sudden, severe joint pain — classically the big toe — to establish a baseline before starting allopurinol or febuxostat, and every few months while treating to a target uric acid below 6.0 mg/dL. Fast 8–12 hours for the most reliable metabolic values, and avoid a heavy purine meal or alcohol the evening before.
Metabolic testing evaluates how your body processes energy — looking at glucose handling, lipids, organ function, and electrolytes to detect early signs of metabolic disease.
Adults with a first or recurrent episode of sudden severe joint pain, a known gout diagnosis starting or adjusting urate-lowering therapy, kidney stones, or a family history of gout who want a baseline.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Required
Results In
2–4 business days · typical; varies by lab and draw day
Biomarkers
16 across 3 tests
3 individual tests · 16 biomarkers measured — each test linked so you can learn more.
Fast 8–12 hours (water is fine). Avoid alcohol and high-purine foods (red meat, organ meats, shellfish) for 24 hours before the draw. Do not schedule during an acute flare if you want a baseline level.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
A Gout Panel costs $62.99 at TestWell — $68.99 all-in, since the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order and there is no draw or physician fee. With insurance you pay your plan's negotiated rate against your deductible; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and HSA/FSA-eligible.
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $62.99 | $68.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Serum uric acid is the core test; most labs flag values above about 7.0 mg/dL in men and 6.0 in women, and treatment aims below 6.0. Clinicians add kidney function (creatinine and eGFR from a metabolic panel) because impaired clearance is the usual driver and because urate-lowering drugs are dosed to kidney function, and an inflammation marker (CRP or ESR) to gauge the inflammatory burden. Gout is confirmed, when needed, by finding crystals in fluid from the joint — a blood test alone cannot do that.
Yes, in up to a third of flares: uric acid can drop into the normal range during acute inflammation as crystals move into the joint. That is why a normal level during an attack does not rule gout out, and why a baseline drawn two or more weeks after a flare settles is the number clinicians use to decide on and monitor treatment.
The Gout Panel includes 3 individual lab tests, bundled at a single panel price below the cost of ordering each test separately. See the full biomarker list and clinical context on the panel page.
Most Gout Panel results are available in 2–4 business days after your specimen arrives at the lab. You'll get an email the moment results are ready, with everything viewable in your TestWell portal.
Blood draw. A standard venous blood draw, collected at any Quest, Labcorp or BioReference patient service center — walk in with the requisition we email you, no appointment needed at most locations; fast 8–12 hours beforehand (water is fine).
On TestWell, the Gout Panel is $62.99. Insurance is not required — pay one all-in price.
Yes — fast 8–12 hours (water is fine). Avoid alcohol and high-purine foods (red meat, organ meats, shellfish) for 24 hours before the draw. Do not schedule during an acute flare if you want a baseline level. Following the prep instructions gives you the most accurate result.
Order online at TestWell — we'll generate a digital requisition and route you to the closest in-network lab. 4,000+ Quest, Labcorp, and BioReference patient service centers nationwide.
Keto and high-protein diets and ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can change a Gout Panel result without anything being wrong. Keto and high-protein diets can raise BUN, Uric Acid and Creatinine and can lower Sodium and Glucose — A high BUN with normal creatinine and eGFR reflects protein intake, not kidney damage. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can raise BUN and Potassium and 2 more markers on this test and can lower Sodium — hydrate; skip NSAIDs for a few days before a kidney-function baseline if the prescriber agrees. Each is explained on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, remove it and retest.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
TestWell Price
$62.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
Individual tests that complement this panel
Gout Panel
$62.99