title: Pooling data when analyzing biomarkers subject to a limit of detection.
abstract: The use of biomarkers to assess exposure and investigate biomedical questions is common in epidemiology. The usefulness of biomarker research, however, is contingent upon the ability to achieve a complete understanding of the role they play within a population. In estimating distributional parameters for a particular biomarker, such as oxidative stress or antioxidant markers, scientists face two main challenges: overcoming the cost of performing a large number of assays and dealing with data subject to a limit of detection. While approaches have been suggested to deal with each of these issues individually, pooling is a strategy that can address both problems.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schisterman
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015233:Models, Statistical
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers