[Low back pain among video-terminal workers: ergonomic postural interventions]. / Efficacia di un intervento ergonomico sulla postura lavorativa e sul mal di schiena nei videoterminalisti.

BACKGROUND: Several studies report a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among video-terminal (VDT) workers. Targeted ergonomic interventions can help reduce the burden. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the long-term efficacy of an ergonomic postural intervention to address LBP among VDT workers. STUDY DESIGN: Non-randomized, crossover trial. POPULATION AND SETTING: Four hundred employees working in the administrative offices of the two main buildings of the town hall ofForlì who used VDTs for at least 20 hours a week; we randomly selected 100 participants from each building. INTERVENTION: Ergonomic adjustment of the VDT workstation design. OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in prevalence of LBP and work-related posture. RESULTS: The ergonomic adjustment of the workstation improved work-related posture and reduced LBP in VDT operators who benefited from the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: A personalized ergonomic prevention intervention can improve work-related posture and LBP for VDT workers.

[Trimetazidine versus betahistine in Ménière's disease. A double blind method]. / Trimétazidine contre bétahistine dans la maladie de Ménière. Etude à double insu.

The efficacy and acceptability of trimetazidine (60 mg daily) in the treatment of Meniere's disease were compared with those of betahistine (36 mg daily) during a double-blind study spanning two months. Enrolled in the study were 45 patients (33 treated with trimetazidine, 23 with betahistine) presenting cochlear symptoms (vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss) compatible with a diagnosis of Meniere's disease. Five patients dropped out of the study (3 in the trimetazidine group did not comply with the therapy and 2 in the betahistine group complained of poor response to the treatment) and were not taken into account in the final analysis, which therefore bore on 40 patients (19 receiving trimetazidine and 21 receiving betahistine). Trimetazidine was found to be significantly more effective than betahistine as far as the overall evolution of the ENT disease was concerned, yielding 79% and 57% improvement rates in each group, respectively (p = 0.027). Complete disappearance of the dizziness attacks was noted in 10 patients out of 19 in the trimetazidine group, versus 5/21 patients in the betahistine group (p = 0.06). There was no statistically significant difference between both treatments, as assessed from other clinical or audiometric criteria. Clinical acceptability was equally excellent in both treatment groups.