TCM treatment of diabetic hearing loss--an audiological and rheological observation

35 cases (48 ears) of diabetic hearing loss were randomly assigned to 2 groups: the treatment group of 19 cases (25 ears) treated with drugs for nourishing the kidney-yin, invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis based on differentiation of symptoms and signs, and the control group of 16 cases (23 ears) treated with euglucon and other routine drugs. The results showed that the total effective rate for audition elevation in the treatment group was 52.0%, and that in the control group, 26.1%. In the treatment group, the rheological indexes were improved after treatment, the difference being very significant in comparison with those before treatment (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01); while in the control group, except the whole blood low shearing specific viscosity, all the other 4 indexes were not statistically significant before and after treatment (P > 0.05).