Table 3.

Criteria used to identify the estimation method and the calculation of confidence in EG datasets.

Case No.	Number of measurements (N)	Censoring	Estimation method	Confidence level
1	≥5 but <10	≤80%	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
2	≥5 but <14	>80% but <100%	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce by 1
3	≥14 but <50	>80% but ≤85%,	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
4	≥10 but <50	>85% but <100%	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce 1
5	≥50 but <100	>80% but ≤90%	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
6	≥50 but <100	>90% but <100%	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce 1
7	≥100 but <250	>80% but ≤95%	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
8	≥100 but <250	>95% but <100%	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce 1
9	≥250 but <1000	>80% but ≤98%	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
10	≥250 but <1000	>98% but <100%	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce 1
11	≥1000	>80% but ≥5 non-censored measurements	Bayesian estimate	No reduction
12	≥1000	>1 and <5 non-censored measurements (i.e. <100% censored)	High censoring Bayesian method	Reduce 1
13	≥20	100%	Order-based statistical method	Reduce 1
14	≥5 and <20	100%	½ of the LOD for the specific analyte	Reduce 1