USDOE Human Subjects Research Database, fiscal year 1995

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Project Identifier: LLNL-92-105

Project Title:

The Effects of Ergonomically Designed Computer Keyboards on the Incidence of Cumulative Trauma Disorders Among VDT Workers

Principle Investigator: Dr. Stephen R. Burastero

Project started in: 1992

Fiscal Year 1995 Funding for Research on Human Subjects:

Project Funding Information:
Project received funding in Fiscal Year 1995.
Project used human subjects in Fiscal Year 1995.

Funding Sources:

DOE: Laboratory Directed Research Development (LDRD)

Amount: $139,000 (Est.)

DOE: Small Business Initiative

Amount: $65,000 (Est.)

Non-Federal: University of California, San Francisco-NWTNC

Amount: $50,000 (Est.)

Total Funding: $254,000

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

Project does not involve use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

IRB Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Most Recent Approval: May 17, 1995
IRB Approval Number: 92-105

Number of Human Subjects in the Last Reporting Period for this Project: 80
(Reporting periods vary.)

Type of Human Subjects Involvement:

Questionnaires, Surveys, Epidemiological Studies:

Use of personally identifiable data from questionnaires, surveys, or epidemiological studies.

• Use of data collected from subjects specifically for this project.

Instrument/Device/Product Testing or Man-Machine Studies:

Use of human subjects to develop/test instruments, materials, devices, or objects.

Environmental/Human Habitat Studies:

Use of human subjects for environmental studies (e.g., weatherization, energy-efficiency, lighting studies).

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

Patients presenting to Health Services with symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and tendinitis will be recruited randomly by Health Services personnel to participate in the study. Heavy keyboard users (more than 4 hours per day) involved with data entry and word processing will be eligible for the keyboard trials. These subjects will be asked to undergo a physical examination of the neck and the upper extremities, which is commonly performed as part of the medical evaluation. Individuals with positive signs for CTS and/or tendinitis, who then usually undergo the standard Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) testing, will be asked to also simultaneously participate in the vibrometry testing. A medical questionnaire will be administered to identify various causes of CTS and/or tendinitis. CTS subjects will be randomized into 3 different groups where they will be assigned to use different keyboards for a six month trial period. Selected subjects will be asked to participate in a laboratory based experiment to measure their wrist deviation patterns using a video analysis system. They will be asked to type from a pangrammic text. Standard clinical care will be given regardless of selection into the study. We expect to study approximately 50 subjects over the next year.