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Type 2 Diabetes and Hearing Impairment.
Elizabeth Purchase Helzner1, Kevin J Contrera2
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Mail Stop 43, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA. Elizabeth.Helzner@downstate.edu.
Current Diabetes Reports
|December 25, 2015
Summary
Type 2 diabetes is linked to a higher risk of hearing impairment (HI), especially in younger individuals. This review explores how diabetes may damage the auditory system through mechanisms like hyperglycemia and oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Endocrinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hearing impairment (HI) and type 2 diabetes are prevalent disabling conditions.
- Type 2 diabetes shows a modest association with increased HI likelihood in population studies, particularly in younger cohorts.
- Pathophysiological evidence suggests diabetes predisposes individuals to high-frequency hearing loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent population-based studies on type 2 diabetes and HI.
- To examine pathophysiological mechanisms linking diabetes to auditory system damage.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiological and pathophysiological literature.
- Analysis of population-based studies investigating the association between type 2 diabetes and HI.
- Examination of proposed biological mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher prevalence of HI.
- Stronger associations are observed in younger age groups.
- Hyperglycemia and oxidative stress are implicated in cochlear microangiopathy and auditory neuropathy.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes may contribute to hearing impairment through microvascular and neurological damage.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms and clinical implications.
- Understanding this link can inform preventative strategies for both conditions.
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