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Middle Ear Ossicular Joint Changes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Histopathological Study
Tomotaka Shimura1,2, Nevra Keskin Yilmaz1,3, Dilshan Rajan1
1Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
The Laryngoscope
|January 4, 2024
Summary
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is linked to middle ear changes, specifically in the incudomalleolar joint (IMJ). DM patients showed increased hyalinized cartilage and bone-line distance, suggesting potential impacts on auditory function.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pathology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Previous research has identified inner ear alterations in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).
- The impact of DM on the middle ear, particularly the ossicles and their joints, remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between type 2 DM and pathological changes in the middle ear's ossicular chain and joints.
- To specifically examine the incudomalleolar joint (IMJ) in DM patients.
Main Methods:
- Otopathological evaluation of auditory ossicles and the IMJ using light microscopy.
- Comparison between 25 patients with DM and age- and sex-matched controls (47 ears total).
Main Results:
- DM cases exhibited significantly increased malleus and incus hyalinized cartilage compared to controls.
- A significantly longer bone-line distance was observed in the IMJ of DM cases.
- The joint discus distance was significantly shorter in DM cases than in controls.
Conclusions:
- Type 2 DM is associated with increased hyalinized cartilage and altered joint distances in the IMJ.
- These microstructural changes in the IMJ may indicate a potential influence of DM on auditory function.
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