A STUDY OF THE RETENTION OF URIC ACID DURING FASTING

Abstract

In a previous paper (1) we have reported that during prolonged fasting in the adult human subject there is a remarkable increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood.Each of the twentyeight fasting periods studied showed an increase.In the twentyone periods which lasted 8 days or longer, the average increase in blood uric acid was 165 per cent; i.e., from an average prefasting level of 4 mg., the concentration rose to a fasting peak of 10.6 mg. per 100 cc. of whole blood.The highest values encountered were 16 mg.per 100 cc. of whole blood, and 22.5 mg. per 100 cc. of plasma.Hoeffel and Moriarty (2) have found that an increase occurs in fasting children.Morgulis and Edwards (3) have reported the same for fasting dogs.In the previous paper it was stated simply that the increase of uric acid in the blood was the result of decreased uric acid elimination.This paper deals with (1) the evidence for this conclusion, (2) the quantitative relationship between uric acid in urine, blood, and tissues, and (3) various food and other factors which modify the retention.Material and lMethods.Observations have been made during the past 3 years.Two of the subjects were healthy male adults.The other twenty-two