A hearing survey in diabetes mellitus

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Endocrinology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder with potential systemic complications.
• Auditory dysfunction has been anecdotally reported in diabetic populations.
• Early detection of hearing changes in diabetics is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate auditory function in a cohort of diabetic patients.
• To compare hearing thresholds and auditory processing between diabetics and a matched control group.
• To identify any specific audiometric patterns associated with diabetes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 50 diabetic patients (22 insulin-dependent) was compared to an age- and sex-matched control group.
• Comprehensive audiological assessments including otological examination, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and tone decay testing (Owens method) were performed.
• Statistical analysis was employed to compare outcomes between the diabetic and control groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in pure tone audiometry or speech audiometry results between the groups.
• All participants, both diabetic and control, exhibited normal speech audiometry results.
• A statistically significant higher incidence of type-2 tone decay was identified in the diabetic group at 2000 Hz.

Conclusions:

• Pure tone and speech audiometry do not reveal significant hearing differences between diabetics and controls.
• Type-2 tone decay at 2000 Hz in diabetics may be an early indicator of auditory changes.
• The observed tone decay pattern could potentially reflect early-onset presbycusis in individuals with diabetes.