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[The frequency of hearing impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2]
1Julius Centrum voor Patiëntgebonden Onderzoek, Universiteit Utrecht.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of hardness of hearing in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and to compare the diabetes characteristics between diabetic patients with and without hardness of hearing.
Setting:
Computerized general practitioners office in Nijverdal, the Netherlands.
Design:
Descriptive, cross-sectional study.
Method:
In all patients aged 55 years and over, registered at the general practitioners (n = 1184), diabetes mellitus type 2 and hardness of hearing were determined. Hardness of hearing was defined as use of a hearing aid or an audiometrically determined hearing loss of at least 40db.
Results:
A hearing aid was three to four times more prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (n = 86) than in subjects without diabetes of the same age (p < 0.001). Of the diabetic patients 48% had impaired hearing. Patients with hardness of hearing had a longer duration of diabetes than diabetic patients with a normal hearing (10.5 years (SD: 6.9) versus 6.9 years (6.8); p = 0.06, adjusted for age). They suffered less hypertension and had a lower level of glycated haemoglobin.
Conclusion:
Hardness of hearing is frequent in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. It may be due to diabetic neuropathy.