Relationship between detection limit and bias of accuracy of quantification of RNA by RT-PCR.

Evidence is presented demonstrating that the distribution of data obtained applying a given RT-PCR method deviates from a normal distribution depending on the limit of detection. The effect of this is a bias towards higher values and concomitantly a systematic error in respect to the accuracy of the evaluation due to this deviation from normality. In addition, evidence is presented that an evaluation assuming a log-normal distribution is more appropriate.