Abstract
Abstract Auditory functions among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are controversial regarding cochlear or neural changes and the relationship between these changes and serum level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c%). The aim of the study was to investigate auditory dysfunctions in type 2 DM patients with poor versus good glycemic control. The present study was conducted on three groups: two diabetic groups with poor and good glycemic control (n = 18 and 14, respectively) based on serum HbA 1c% and one healthy control group (n = 30) matched with age, sex, and BMI. All participants were subjected to clinical assessment, audiometry, brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP), and evoked acoustic emissions transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs and DPOAEs). Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control had significantly elevated hearing thresholds compared with other groups at low and high frequencies in audiometry (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). They showed significantly prolonged absolute latency in wave I and interpeak latency (III-V) in the BAEP test compared with other groups (P < 0.001). DM patients with poor glycemic control had significantly low amplitudes at all frequencies in the TEOAE test, as well as at high frequencies (4 and 6 kHz) on the DPOAE test, compared with other groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). There were significant correlations between HbA 1c% and interpeak latency III-V (r = 0.340, P = 0.004) on the one hand and overall response of TEOAE amplitude (r = −0.471; P = 0.000) on the other. Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control had worse auditory dysfunctions on both cochlear and neural findings.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that can cause a variety of metabolic, neurological, and vascular complications [1]
No statistically significant differences were found between the mean age ± SD of the diabetic groups with poor versus good glycemic control and that of the healthy control group (51.3 ± 3.8 vs. 50.9 ± 12.4 and 45.2 ± 15 years, respectively), nor in BMI (32.3 ± 4.3 vs. 30.9 ± 5 and 30.6 ± 5 m2) and systolic (133.6 ± 6.8; 130.9 ± 3.4 vs. 129.8 ± 5.8 mmHg) and diastolic (84.9 ± 6.1; 80.4 ± 6.9 vs. 80.9 ± 10.9 mmHg) blood pressure
The percentage of hearing loss ranged from 8.8 to 70.6% among diabetic patients with poor glycemic control at different frequencies, with significant tendency to increase at higher frequency on trends analysis (P = 0.0001)
Summary
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that can cause a variety of metabolic, neurological, and vascular complications [1]. In a recent study, Ferreira et al [7] found a high frequency of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in 37.5% of the patient population These results were not compared against a control group [7]. Results Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control had signiscantly elevated hearing thresholds compared with other groups at low and high frequencies in audiometry (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). They showed signiscantly prolonged absolute latency in wave I and interpeak latency (III–V) in the BAEP test compared with other groups (P < 0.001).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call