Békésy audiometry and tone and reflex decay tests in diabetics

The responses of nine diabetics (without substantial hearing loss) to Békésy audiometry and tone and reflex decay tests at 250, 1,000, 4,000 and 8,000 Hz were determined. Excessive tone decay was found at 8,000 Hz in two subjects. This was found to be significant when compared with a normal group of 19 subjects tested at this frequency. Two diabetics had a 25 to 30-dB separation of the Békésy tracing at 8,000 Hz. All other findings were normal. It was concluded that excessive adaptation at threshold is to be expected at 8,000 Hz in diabetic subjects.