TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage classify if the passage has a definite objective/aim/goal or not. Output '1' if the passage has a defininte objective/aim/goal and output '0' if the passage does not have a definite objective/aim/goal.
PROBLEM: the use of antihypertensive medication in older people in order to prevent cardiovascular events is well established. The use of such agents has been encouraged by incentive schemes in the United Kingdom including the Quality and Outcomes Framework. In addition, many guidelines recommend good blood pressure (BP) control in the elderly. However, in older people antihypertensives can cause adverse effects related to hypotension.', 'the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of lowBP and impact on outcomes, particularly in the presence of antihypertensive treatment, in a primary care population of older people.', 'a retrospective observational cohort study in people over the age of 70 years registered with primary care providers in Kent.', 'a total of 11,167 patients over 70 years old were analysed, 6,373 female (57%). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was below 120 mmHg in 1,297 people (844 on antihypertensives), below 110 mmHg in 474 (313 on antihypertensives) and below 100 mmHg in 128 (89 on antihypertensives). Hypotension was independently associated with mortality, acute kidney injury and hospital admission.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a reversible neurologic disorder characterized by a triad of cognitive impairment, gait abnormality, and urinary incontinence that is commonly treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. However, multiple overlapping symptoms often make it difficult to differentiate normal pressure hydrocephalus from other types of dementia, and improved diagnostic techniques would help patient management. MR elastography is a novel diagnostic tool that could potentially identify patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus. The purpose of this study was to assess brain stiffness changes in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus compared with age- and sex-matched cognitively healthy individuals.', 'MR elastography was performed on 10 patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus and 21 age- and sex-matched volunteers with no known neurologic disorders. Image acquisition was conducted on a 3T MR imaging scanner. Shear waves with 60-Hz vibration frequency were transmitted into the brain by a pillowlike passive driver. A novel postprocessing technique resistant to noise and edge artifacts was implemented to determine regional brain stiffness. The Wilcoxon rank sum test and linear regression were used for statistical analysis.', 'A significant increase in stiffness was observed in the cerebrum (P = .001), occipital lobe (P < .001), parietal lobe (P = .001), and the temporal lobe (P = .02) in the normal pressure hydrocephalus group compared with healthy controls. However, no significant difference was noted in other regions of the brain, including the frontal lobe (P = .07), deep gray and white matter (P = .43), or cerebellum (P = .20).

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: To evaluate whether calcium adjusted for albumin can be used to monitor calcium homeostasis in critically ill patients.', 'Prospective single-single center observational study.', 'Clinical laboratory and critical care unit of a regional teaching hospital.', 'Fifty-three paired samples were from 36 patients requiring intensive care treatment.', 'None.', 'Total calcium, albumin-adjusted calcium, and ionized calcium were measured in critically ill patients during an 8-wk period. Calcium was adjusted for albumin using the formula that is most frequently used in The Netherlands. Using ionized calcium as the gold standard, albumin-adjusted calcium overestimated hypercalcemia and totally missed hypocalcemia. The same seemed to be true for other formulas used for albumin or protein adjustment of calcium concentrations.

SOLUTION:
1