Could a person have gout even if the uric acid in the blood is normal?

Both RA and gout are inflammatory diseases that cause pain and swelling in your joints. One study of women with self-reporting RA showed they had significantly higher levels of serum uric acid. An excess of this bodily waste product in your blood can trigger gout. It does this by building up and forming urate crystals. These crystals may then accumulate in your joints and cause pain and inflammation.

RA occurs when your immune system responds abnormally by attacking your joints, and sometimes your organs, instead of foreign invaders like viruses that enter your body. It’s a different cause of inflammation, but the symptoms can appear similar. This may make diagnosis more difficult.