Question

The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of gout. Which lab result would the nurse expect to note in the client?

A. Calcium 9 mg/dL
B. Uric acid 9 mg/dL
C. Potassium 4.1 mEq/L
D. Phosphorus 3.1 mg/dL

Answer 1

For a client with gout, a nurse would expect to see an elevated uric acid level in the lab results, specifically a value above the normal range such as 9 mg/dL.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a client with a diagnosis of gout would expect to note an elevated uric acid level in the client's lab results. Specifically, Option B: Uric acid 9 mg/dL would be the expected finding. Gout occurs when the concentration of uric acid exceeds 7 mg/100 ml in the blood plasma, leading to the precipitation of sodium ureate crystals in joints and tendons. Normal uric acid levels in the blood are 2.4 to 7.0 mg/dL for males and 2.4 to 5.7 mg/dL for females. Therefore, a level of 9 mg/dL indicates hyperuricemia, which is a hallmark of gout.