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Determination of hearing threshold in children with and without type 1 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study in
Fatemeh Nasrollahtabar1, Fereshteh Bagheri2, Hadis Ebrahimzadeh3
1Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
Insights
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in children is linked to auditory abnormalities, affecting hearing thresholds. Early detection and management are crucial for preventing hearing impairment associated with T1DM.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Audiology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) can lead to complications affecting inner ear function in children, potentially causing hearing impairment.
- Limited research exists on the specific impact of T1DM on hearing levels in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hearing thresholds in children with and without T1DM.
- To investigate the relationship between T1DM and auditory function in children.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving children aged 6-18 years.
- Hearing assessments included tympanometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR), and pure-tone audiometry (PTA).
- Data were analyzed using SPSS, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in ABR results (wave latencies and interwave intervals) were observed between children with T1DM and controls in both ears.
- A weak but significant correlation was found between T1DM duration and auditory brainstem response in the right ear.
- The study included 41 children with T1DM and 44 healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is associated with auditory abnormalities in children.
- Hearing impairment in children with T1DM may be linked to disease duration and metabolic control levels.
Purpose:
In children with early-onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), complications of the disease can affect inner ear function, leading to hearing impairment, reduced motor performance, and balance disorder. However, few studies have evaluated its impact on hearing level. Therefore, this study evaluated hearing threshold in children with and without T1DM referred to Amirkola Children's Hospital in 2023.
Methods:
This case-control study was conducted in 2023 on children aged 6-18 years who were referred to Amirkola Children's Hospital. The case group included children diagnosed with T1DM at least one year prior, while the control group consisted of healthy children. After final confirmation of T1DM by a pediatric endocrinologist and according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, participants were referred to the audiology unit of the hospital for hearing assessments after obtaining informed consent. Demographic information was collected, and tympanometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR), and pure-tone audiometry (PTA) were performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
In this study, 41 children with T1DM and 44 control children were included. The case group comprised 23 girls (56.1%), while the control group included 34 girls (77.3%). The mean duration of T1DM in the case group was 4.78 years. Comparison of the mean ABR results for the left ear revealed significant differences between the case and control groups in the latency of waves I, III, V latencies and the interwave intervals between I-V waves (P <0.05 for all). Similar significant differences were observed in the right ear for waves III, V, and the interwave intervals between I-V waves (P < 0.05 for all). A weak but statistically significant correlation was observed between diabetes duration and the I-III interwave interval in the right ear (r = 0.31, P = 0.044).
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that T1DM may be associated with auditory abnormalities in children. Hearing impairment in children with T1DM is related to the duration of the disease and possibly to the level of metabolic control.
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