Hearing function in Nigerian children with a family history of type 2 diabetes

Consequent on our previous observations [F.E. Ologe, E.O. Okoro, Type 2 diabetes and hearing loss in black Africans, Diabetic Med. (in press).], we investigated whether abnormality in auditory function can precede overt diabetes in individuals with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes.

Frequency specific pure tone audiograms (125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 8000 Hz) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) and 2h post prandial blood glucose (2hrPBG) levels were measured in Nigerian children aged 9-19 years with at least a biologic parent with type 2 diabetes and compared with controls (contemporaries with non-diabetic parents).

: Both groups were similar in gender mix, age, body sizes, FBS, 2PPhr BG, SBP; the values being (chi(2) = 0.04, d.f. = 1, p = 0.84); 14.32 +/- 2.29 years versus 14.77 +/- 3.10 years, 19.47 +/- 1.82 kg/m(2) versus 18.66 +/- 3.12 kg/m(2); 4.26 +/- 0.68 mmol versus 4.04 +/- 0.61 mmol; 5.07 +/- 0.95 mmol versus 5.16 +/- 1.04 mmol; 103.73 +/- 9.62 mmHg versus 100.07 +/- 13.77 mmHg for control and offspring of diabetic individuals, respectively. Similarly, pure-tone air-conduction audiograms were comparable (p > 0.5) in both groups.

The data shows normal glucose metabolism in teenage offspring of type 2 diabetes and a pattern of audiogram not different from those observed in their counterparts without a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes.