The effects of green kiwifruit combined with isoflavones on equol production, bone turnover and gut microflora in healthy postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Isoflavone (daidzein and genistein) interventions in postmenopausal women have produced inconsistent skeletal benefits, partly due to population heterogeneity in daidzein metabolism to equol by enteric bacteria. This study assessed changes in microflora and bone turnover in response to isoflavone and ki-wifruit supplementation in New Zealand postmenopausal women. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Healthy women 1-10 years post-menopause were randomly allocated to group A (n=16) or B (n=17) for a 16-week crossover trial. Two consecutive 6-week treatment periods had a 2-week lead-in period at intervention commencement and a 2-week washout period between treatments. Treatments prescribed either (1) daily isoflavone supplementation (50 mg/day aglycone daidzein and genistein) alone, or (2) with two green kiwifruit. At treatment baseline and end-point (four time points) the serum bone markers C Telopeptide of Type I collagen (CTx), undercarboxylated os-teocalcin (unOC), and serum and urinary daidzein and equol, were measured. Changes in gut microflora were monitored in a subgroup of the women. RESULTS: Equol producers made up 30% of this study population (equol producers n=10; non-equol producers n=23) with serum equol rising significantly in equol producers. Serum ucOC decreased by 15.5% (p<0.05) after the kiwifruit and isoflavone treatment. There were no changes in serum CTx or in the diversity of the gut microflora. CONCLUSIONS: 50 mg/day isoflavones did not reduce bone resorption but kiwifruit and isoflavone consumption decreased serum ucOC levels, possibly due to vitamin K1 and/or other bioactive components of green kiwifruit.

Telemedicine-friendly, portable tonometers: an evaluation for intraocular pressure screening.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) readings from two portable, telemedicine-friendly tonometers for suitability in glaucoma screening. METHODS: 213 eyes of 107 consenting patients attending an eye clinic were tested with an I-care tonometer and a Pulsair-Easy Eye puff-air tonometer. Gold standard IOP was measured with a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT). Effect of central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth and refractive errors on IOP measurements were also analysed. RESULTS: The mean difference of IOP by GAT and both the portable tonometers was +/- 2.2 mmHg. The analysis indicates minimal difference between IOP readings of both the portable tonometers. The mean difference between two consecutive readings by I-care was 0.01 mmHg. Using 21 mmHg as a threshold for suspected glaucoma, both the portable digital tonometers reported a sensitivity of 38% and specificity of >95%. In the subjects studied, central corneal thickness had statistically significant influence on IOP measurements while refractive errors and anterior chamber depth had no significant influence on IOP measurements with any tonometry. CONCLUSION: The IOP readings by both portable tonometers are comparable and were within clinically acceptable range from GAT. These portable tonometers are useful tools for IOP screening.