Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36008543›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2022

Bimodal distribution pattern associated with the PCR cycle threshold (Ct) and implications in COVID-19 infections.

Doris Yang, Donna E Hansel, Marcel E Curlin, John M Townes, William B Messer, Guang Fan, Xuan Qin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Doris YangDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-113, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
Donna E HanselDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-113, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
Marcel E CurlinDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
John M TownesDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
William B MesserDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
Guang FanDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-113, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
Xuan QinDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-113, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. qinxu@ohsu.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is notable for its extremely high level of viral replication in respiratory epithelial cells, relative to other cell types. This may partially explain the high transmissibility and rapid global dissemination observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle threshold (Ct) number has been widely used as a proxy for viral load based on the inverse relationship between Ct number and amplifiable genome copies present in a sample. We examined two PCR platforms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2019-nCoV Real-time RT-PCR, Integrated DNA Technologies; and TaqPath COVID-19 multi-plex combination kit, ThermoFisher Scientific) for their performance characteristics and Ct distribution patterns based on results generated from 208,947 clinical samples obtained between October 2020 and September 2021. From 14,231 positive tests, Ct values ranged from 8 to 39 and displayed a pronounced bimodal distribution. The bimodal distribution persisted when stratified by gender, age, and time period of sample collection during which different viral variants circulated. This finding may be a result of heterogeneity in disease progression or host response to infection irrespective of age, gender, or viral variants. Quantification of respiratory mucosal viral load may provide additional insight into transmission and clinical indicators helpful for infection control.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 TestingHumansPandemicsReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSARS-CoV-2Viral Load

Identifiers

PMID36008543
PMCPMC9406279

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.