Hearing Loss In Diabetic Patients Research Articles

Treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients by oral prednisolone

Background: Ideopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss should be treated urgently without delay by steroid therapy. The study purpose was to determine the efficacy of oral steroids in treatment of ISSNHL in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: Prospective cohort study of diabetic patients with ISSNHL to evaluate the effectiveness of oral prednisolone in improvement of hearing. It included 30 patients aged 40-65 years that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Oral prednisolone 1mg/kg was administered for 2 weeks. Hearing was assessed pre and post treatment by measuring the pure tune average in the form of mean and standard deviation. Blood sugar was monitored by a glucometer. Results: 12 diabetic females and 18 diabetic males were enrolled in this study. There was highly significant improvement in the post treatment pure tune averages at all frequencies without any recorded side effects or complications. Conclusions: Oral Prednisolone was highly efficient in rapid improvement of hearing in cases of ISSNHL in patients with diabetes mellitus with no need for intratympanic steroid injection in any patient. There was not reported any side effects or complications.

The Use of Herbal Medicine in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Doluperine® capsule (curcumin, piperine, and gingerol) on hearing recovery in diabetic patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). Fifty-one diabetic patients with SSNHL were randomized to receive two placebo capsules (group 1), a Doluperine® plus one placebo capsule (group 2), or two Doluperine® capsules (group 3). Moreover, all patients had an injection of dexamethasone in the middle ear. The proportion of significant positive changes in PTA, SDS, and SRT was 45.4%, 45.4%, and 36.37% in group1, 84.6%, 84.6%, and 76.92% in group 2, and 70%, 50.0%, and 80.0% in group 3, respectively. Many patients in group 3 did not respond to treatment in the first month, while they recovered at the end of the second month. The chance of recovery reduced with increased time between the onset of symptoms and treatment (delayed visitation) in group 1; however, this finding was not seen in groups 2 and 3. Doluperine® is recommended as a complementary medicine along with steroid therapy for hearing loss improvement in diabetic patients; moreover, this herbal medicine seems to play an important role in recovery in patients with delayed visitation.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss are common neurological deficit, and diabetes mellitus is a common cause for these problems. Hearing impairment affects the quality of life of diabetic patients. Many researchers found hearing impairment in diabetic patients because diabetes mellitus can cause sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) because of neuropathy and microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Aim of the study: The study aims to sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic control. Patients and methods: A prospective case control study is performed during the period between Jan 2018 and May 2019. This case series study included 100 known cases of diabetes mellitus, their ages were between 20-60 years, treated at Al-wafaa center, which is specialized center for treatment and follow up of diabetic patients, and Al-Jumhory Teaching Hospital in Mosul. The control group included 100 individuals who did not have any diabetes mellitus or any of the exclusion criteria mentioned in the study. Results: It has been found that sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was more common in diabetic patients group than controls group, 21% versus 8%. The prevalence of (SNHL) was more in male 31.7% than female diabetic patients 13.5%. Hearing threshold in diabetic patients was higher than that in control group. The hearing loss in diabetic patients is slowly progressive and directly related to the duration of diabetes. Conclusions: Sensorineural hearing loss has been found to be more common in diabetic patients than in control group, and the hearing loss in diabetic patients is slowly progressive. The hearing threshold in diabetic patients had a direct correlation with the duration of disease.

Evaluation of the Effects of Dyslipidemia on Hearing in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Modernization has led to change in life style and physical inactivity which are playing a major role in increasing the number of people with diabetes and dyslipidaemia, Different types of hearing loss in diabetic patients have been reported which shows progressive, gradual, bilateral sensorineural loss. The primary aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of dyslipidemia on hearing in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A comparative study was conducted where patients were divided into 4 groups-Type II diabetes mellitus with dyslipidemia,Type II diabetes mellitus with normal lipid profile, Only Dyslipidemia,Normal subjects. A total of 128 participants were enrolled in the study. The Diabetes patient was determined by the FBS, PPBS and Hba1c levels. Dyslipidemia determined by LDL,HDL,VLDL.Patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia was evaluated for the presence of hearing loss with the help of PTA. Prevalence of hearing loss among patients with Diabetes and Dyslipidaemia was 65.7%, 40.6% in Type II DM with normal lipid profile patients, 18.75% in patients with dyslipidaemia. Statistically significant association of hearing loss was noted in patients with diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia. Although hearing loss is multifactorial, control of the risk factors like dyslipidaemia in diabetes mellitus definitely halt the process of auditory damage. As observed from this study, poor glycaemic control, associated other co-morbidities were contributing factors for hearing loss. Healthy life style with early recognition of these diseases helps in preventing further damage.

Most common otorhinolaryngologic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus

It is well known that diabetes represents an important glo­bal health issue. The disease can generate multiple micro- or macrovascular complications, but also oto­rhi­no­la­ryn­go­logic disorders. At the same time, the disease in­crea­ses the risk of infections. The possible factors involved are represented by altered cellular and humoral immune de­fense mechanisms, poor vascular flow to sites of infection, and microvascular complications. Several studies have shown that diabetic patients have an increased risk of deep neck infection. Other studies have also reported that dia­be­tic patients have a higher incidence of sensorineural hearing loss than the general population. The relationship between dia­be­tes and hearing loss is not completely elucidated. The in­volved risk factors in hearing loss in diabetic patients may be represented by the duration of the affliction, glycemic con­trol, microangiopathy, neuropathy, or medications used to treat comorbidities. The link between type 2 diabetes mel­li­tus, deep neck infection and auditory disorders thus po­ses great interest for both diabetologists, as well as oto­la­ryn­go­lo­gists. This article is a brief review of the information available about the most common oto­rhi­no­la­ryn­go­lo­gic complications in diabetes, based on articles published on PubMed and Google Academic.

Prevalence of Hearing loss in Diabetes Mellitus Patients of Jharkhand Population

AbstractBackground: Hearing loss in Diabetic patients is global problem WHO report has a suggestion that 50% of hearingloss in Diabetic patients is preventable. Hence various grades of hearing loss has to be evaluatedMethod: 250 hearing loss patients,aged between 20 to 50 years were studied by pure tone audiometry, byaudiometry degree, type and configuration of hearingwas assessed. General examination was done by otoscopyfollowed by pure tone audiometry in which manual audiometry was used.Results: 123 (49.2%) had moderate loss, 89 (35.6%) moderate severe, 38 (15.2%) severe hearing loss, Associatedclinical manifestation were 86 (34.4%) had parasthesia, 60 (24%) had skin disease, 50 (20%) had visual problems,54 (21.6%) had lack of sleep.Conclusion: In this pragmatic study it is concluded that there is strong correlation between Diabetes mellitusand hearing threshold levels especially at higher frequencies. Long duration and uncontrolled diabetes has moreimplications over hearing threshold. This study will help the ENT surgeon to diagnose the severity of hearing lossand treat efficiently to avoid morbidity mortality and social withdrawl.

Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) may be a major health problem in modern society. The disease and its complications can affect most systems of the human body. A possible complication of DM is sensorineural deafness (SNHL). Objective: To find out the prevalence of different frequencies of hearing impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: The study design was analytic cross-sectional. The data was collected from Hameed Latif and the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. The study took 4 months (February 2022 to July 2022). The sample size was calculated at 325 based on the prevalence (69.73%) of sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients through an online sample size calculator (CI: 95% and margin of error=5.00%). The Sampling technique was Non-Probability Purposive Sampling. Data analysis was done by using SPSS Version 21.0 software. The sample-included patient diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), of both genders, aged 51-70 years, consented to inclusion in the study. Cases with external or middle ear diseases were excluded from the study. Results: The 325 diabetes mellitus patients comprised the study population, in which 36.6 % (n=119) patients had hearing loss on different frequencies, and 30.8% had mild to severe hearing loss on high frequencies. Conclusions: This study concludes that the prevalence of hearing impairment is high among patients with diabetes mellitus and has more effect on higher frequencies of hearing rather than mid and low frequencies.

Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients Linked with Glycolyzed Hemoglobin A1C

Objective: Glycolyzed haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and hearing loss in diabetic individuals are the primary goals of the present research. Study Design: Randomized Case Control Place and Duration: THQ Hospital Kamalia. Aug 2021 to Feb 2022. Methods: There were 80 patients of both genders with ages 16-75 years were presented. Detailed demographics of enrolled cases included age, sex, body mass index and comorbidities were recorded after taking informed written consent. Patients were divided in two groups. Group I had 40 diabetic patients and group II had 40 non-diabetic patients. Hearing loss among both groups was compared by different glycolized hemoglobin levels. SPSS 25.0 was used to analyze complete data. Results: There were 32 (80%) males and 8 (20%) female in group I and in group II 24 (60%) males and 16 (40%) females. Mean age in group I was 41.31±5.81 years and had men BMI 24.13±7.15 kg/m2 while in group II mean age was 39.11±4.28 years with mean BMI 22.17±11.32 kg/m2. In group I 18 (45%) patients were smokers and in group II 15 (27.5%) were smokers. Frequency of hearing loss in group I was higher found in 23 (57.5%) patients as compared to non-diabetic patients in only 2 (5%). Frequency of tinnitus, vertigo and dizziness were also significantly higher in diabetic patients with p value <0.05. Conclusion: Patients with diabetes mellitus may suffer from impaired hearing and balance even if they do not show any symptoms. As a result, early rehabilitative care should be established to prevent future difficulties. Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Hearing Loss, Hemoglobin A1c

Role of Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry in Evaluating Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients

Introduction Diabetes has become a global epidemic. Hearing loss has been long associated with diabetes. Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) is an objective, non-invasive, electro diagnostic test that not only evaluates the functional integrity of the subcortical auditory pathway but also provides topo-diagnosis of hearing loss. This study aims to identify the role BERA in detecting hearing loss early in diabetic patients.Materials and Methods In this study a total of 210 patients were taken and subjected to blood glucose levels followed by PTA were divided into two groups. Group I (n=105) consisted of diabetic patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and Group II (n=105) had age and sex matched non-diabetics with SNHL. All the patients were evaluated with BERA.Results All the patients were subjected to Brain Stem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA). Absolute latency of Wave I, III, V, I-III, III-V and I-V were assessed for both the ears. In both ear Absolute latency were significantly higher in diabetics as compared to non-diabetic patientsConclusion The findings of present study showed that the severity of hearing loss was significantly higher in diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetic controls. Level of glycemic control showed a possible link with severity of hearing loss.

Clinical Features and Hearing Outcomes of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients.

Background and ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and the clinical factors associated with prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in diabetic patients.Subjects and MethodsForty-nine diabetic with unilateral SSNHL were retrospectively included. All patients received systemic high dose steroid therapy within one month after onset and had more than one month of follow-up audiogram. The basic characteristics of the patients, initial and follow-up audiograms, laboratory data, and methods of steroid treatment were collected.ResultsCompared to reference values in healthy subjects, 79%, 55%, and 45% of the patients had higher values of mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), respectively. Older patients had significantly less degree of hearing loss, but they also had significantly worse hearing thresholds in the unaffected ear. After steroid treatment, less than half patients (47%) showed hearing recovery. Simultaneous intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) injections with systemic steroid did not confer an additional hearing gain or an earlier recovery rate in diabetic patients with SSNHL. In the multivariate analysis, initial hearing thresholds of affected ear and timing of steroid treatment were significantly associated with hearing prognosis in diabetic patients with SSNHL.ConclusionsDiabetic patients with SSNHL tended to have increased NLR, LMR, and PLR, which are reported to be associated with microvascular angiopathy. Simultaneous ITD injections to improve hearing recovery in diabetic patients with SSNHL seems unnecessary.

The Association Between Glycolyzed Hemoglobin A1c and Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients.

PurposeOur study aimed to determine the correlation between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and the audiometric parameters in diabetic patients.MethodsWe included 724 patients (376 male, 348 female) in our outpatient clinic and created four groups by reference to the HbA1c values. The first group was 192 patients with an HbA1c value < 4.5, 176 patients with an HbA1c value between 4.5 - 5 as Group 2, 177 patients with an HbA1c value between 5 - 6 as Group 3, and 179 patients that had an HbA1c value greater than 6 as Group 4. The correlations between HbA1c values and median pure tone thresholds at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz, the speech recognition thresholds, and the speech discrimination scores were compared.ResultsThe median speech recognition thresholds, speech discrimination scores, and the median pure-tone thresholds at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 MHz in the left ear significantly differed in the fourth group (p < 0.001). Pure-tone thresholds at 500 Hz, 4,000 Hz, speech discrimination scores, and recognition thresholds in the right ear had a significant positive correlation in the fourth group (p < 0.001).ConclusionAccording to HbA1c levels, the severity of diabetes can affect high to all frequencies of hearing functions negatively. The follow-up of patients with higher levels of HbA1c should undergo audiological tests more regularly.

Intratympanic versus intravenous corticosteroid treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients: proposed study protocol for a prospective, randomized superiority trial

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is associated with risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Systemic and intratympanic corticosteroids are the two primary treatments for SSNHL in patients with diabetes mellitus. The benefit of intratympanic compared to systemic treatment is the reduced systemic steroid exposure and associated systemic adverse effects. Intratympanic corticosteroid administration may have potential benefits over standard systemic therapies.Methods/designThe proposed study is a prospective, randomized superiority trial. A total of 96 patients (48 in each group) will be randomized into the experimental or control group. Patients in the experimental group will receive four 1-mL doses of 40 mg/mL of methylprednisolone over a 1-week period, with a dose administered every 2 days via tympanic membrane injection into the middle ear. The control group will be administered intravenous methylprednisolone (1 mg/kg/day, maximal dose 60 mg/day) for 5 days. The primary outcome for this study is the change in hearing threshold from the first audiogram to the 30-day follow-up audiogram. Secondary outcome measures will include pure-tone average (PTA) at 90-day follow up, visual analog tinnitus scale, visual analog vertigo scale, visual analog aural fullness scale, fasting blood glucose and 2-h postprandial blood glucose during treatment, and the change in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. Vital signs and otological physical examination will be performed at each follow-up visit.DiscussionThe efficacy and safety of intratympanic methylprednisolone compared to intravenous methylprednisolone will be investigated in patients with diabetes mellitus and SSNHL. This trial may provide strong evidence for the efficacy and safety of intratympanic corticosteroid treatment and important clinical information for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus and SSNHL.Trial registrationChiCTR, ChiCTR1800015954. Registered on 2 May 2018, Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=25326.

The role of vitamin C and E in improving hearing loss in patients with type 2 diabetes

Objective: to evaluate the effect of antioxidant vitamins on hearing loss in diabetic patients. Patients and methods: Sixty type 2 diabetic patients with positive pure tone audiogram (PTA) enrolled in the study and divided into two groups: each group consists of thirty patients, group one was put on antioxidant therapy, and group two on placebo therapy, for 2 months duration. Thirty healthy individuals were kept as a control. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in all groups. MDA and PTA were repeated after therapy. Results: The FBS and MDA are higher in diabetic patients, and beneficial effects of the administration of vitamin E and C combination on the oxidative stress and significant improvement, with mean differences of 12.5±7.79 decibel (dB), in the sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in diabetic patients were obtained. Conclusion: the present study demonstrated that diabetic patients have exaggerated oxidative stress, and administration of vitamin E and C combination had beneficial effect on the oxidative stress, and on the SNHL in diabetic patients with mean differences of 12.5±7.79 dB (p<0.001).

Early detection of hearing impairment in type 2 diabetic patients

Background: Hearing impairment is an under-recognized complication of type 2 diabetic patients. Exploring an appropriate technique and method to detect early hearing impairment in diabetic patients is the key to good hearing care.Objectives: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the application effects of extended high-frequency audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions in early detection of hearing impairment in diabetic patients.Materials and methods: The study recruited 65 type 2 diabetic patients with normal hearing thresholds detected by conventional PTA, and 60 control subjects. All subjects completed detailed medical history questionnaires and underwent ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) physical examinations and laboratory tests. Then they underwent the conventional pure tone audiometry (PTA) tests, extended high frequency audiometry (HFA) and distortion product of otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Audiologic data and the related risk factors of audiology were analyzed.Results: Of 65 diabetic patients, 41 patients (63.1%) suffered from high frequency hearing loss detected by HFA and 58 patients (89.2%) suffered from cochlear dysfunction detected by DPOAEs. The incidence of high frequency hearing loss was 38%, 83.3% and 42.3% at the age of 30–39, 40–49 and 50–59 years, respectively. The factors of age (p = .00) and disease duration (p = .00) were related with the high frequency hearing threshold, while the factor of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (p = .716) had no relationship with it.Conclusions and significance: There can be cochlear dysfunction and high frequency hearing loss in diabetic patients with normal hearing thresholds of conventional frequencies. The examinations of HFA and DPOAEs are of great importance for early diagnosis of hearing loss in type 2 diabetic patients.

Pure tone audiometry and otoacoustic emissions for the assessment of hearing loss in diabetic patients

Context: Evaluation of hearing loss with diabetic control. Aims: The aim of this study was to profile the audiologic findings of diabetic patients by assessing the degree of hearing loss and the presence/absence of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs); to correlate the factors, namely, age, gender, glycemic status, and duration of diabetes mellitus with hearing loss. Settings and Design: The study was done at a tertiary care hospital and a cross-sectional study design was employed. Materials and Methods: Forty known diabetic patients who satisfied the selection criteria and consented were included in the study. Three tests were carried out, namely, pure tone audiometry, immittance audiometry, and OAEs. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. For the current study, median, interquartile range (IQR), frequency, and percentage were considered. Results: Majority of the patients had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss ranging in severity from minimal to mild degree. Median pure tone average (PTA) values were less in patients with good glycemic status as compared to those with poor glycemic status. OAEs were absent in 30% of the subjects. Age had a contributing effect on raising the hearing threshold but gender and duration of diabetes did not show such an effect. Conclusion: Diabetic patients are at an increased risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss.

Risk of Developing Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetic Patients

To explore the risk of development of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) among diabetes mellitus patients. A retrospective cohort study. Population-based study of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Approximately 26,556 newly diagnosed diabetic patients and 26,556 comparison subjects without diabetes mellitus were selected from claims made during 2000 to 2004. The incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) at the end of 2009 was determined. The incidence of SSHL was 1.54-fold higher in the diabetic group compared with the nondiabetic group (1.29 versus 0.78 per 1,000 person-years), and using Cox proportional hazard regressions, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 1.592 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.295-1.957). The risk of developing SSHL increased substantially to an HR of 2.060 (95% CI, 1.051-4.037), for patients who required triple antidiabetic medication compared with diabetic patients treated with a single antidiabetic drug. An increased risk of developing SSHL, with adjusted HRs of 1.574 (95% CI, 1.091-2.271) and 2.842 (95% CI, 1.880-4.295), was observed in diabetic patients with newly diagnosed comorbidities of retinopathy or retinopathy combined with renal insufficiency, which are both expected to reflect the severity of diabetes. Diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing SSHL. Coronary heart disease or retinopathy comorbidities in diabetic patients seemed to be associated with an increased risk of developing SSHL. The risk of developing SSHL increased with the severity of diabetes.

Otoacoustic emissions and auditory brain stem responses in hearing-impaired Saudi diabetic patients

Objective: To compare otoacoustic emissions and auditory brain stem responses in hearing-impaired diabetic patients and matched controls in order to determine the lesion site for hearing loss in diabetic patients.Subjects and Methods: This matched case-control study compared 88 hearing-impaired type 2 diabetic patients with 63 age- and gender-matched controls. Cochlear function was evaluated on the basis of otoacoustic emissions. The presence and amplitude of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, distortion product amplitudes and latencies were recorded. Retrocochlear function was evaluated on the basis of auditory brainstem response. Absolute latencies of waves I, III, and V and inter-peak latencies of I–III, III–V, and I–V of the auditory brainstem were compared.Results: In the case of diabetic patients, no spontaneous otoacoustic emissions were produced, suggesting cochlear damage. Distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes at 1, 2, 4, and 6 kHz, but not the latencies, were significantly different between diabetic and control patients. Wave V latency was also significantly different between the 2 groups while the values of all other auditory brainstem parameters were similar.Conclusion: Cochlear damage may be one of the causes of hearing loss in diabetic patients. Distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitude may be used for assessment of hearing loss in diabetic patients.

Role of oxidative stress in hearing impairment in patients with type two diabetes mellitus

Although many clinical investigations have found a relationship between hearing loss and diabetes mellitus, the pathophysiology of this effect remains controversial. To date, the mechanisms of hearing loss in diabetic patients have been explained in terms of microangiopathy, neuropathy and encephalopathy. However, many reports indicate that some diabetic complications are associated with oxidative stress related to the diabetes itself. In the present study, we hypothesised that oxidative stress may be a cause of hearing loss in diabetic patients. The study group comprised non-insulin dependent diabetic patients with no signs of microangiopathy or peripheral neuropathy. The control group comprised sex-, age- and body weight matched, non-diabetic subjects. Auditory function was evaluated using pure tone audiometry and tympanometry. Subjects with normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss were included in the study, whereas subjects with conductive hearing loss were excluded. Both the study group (n = 63) and the control group (n = 37) were divided into subgroups based on the presence and absence of hearing loss. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring serum indicators of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation, serum levels of nitric oxide and various non-enzymatic antioxidants, and the activity of various enzymatic antioxidants. The non-insulin dependent diabetic patients had significantly higher serum levels of protein oxidation products, nitric oxide, enzymatic antioxidant activity (i.e. glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), compared with the control group (p < 0.05). When we compared the groups in relation to the presence of hearing loss, the nitric oxide level was significantly increased in the diabetic group with good hearing, compared with diabetic patients with hearing loss (p = 0.014). In the diabetic group, a clear, negative correlation was observed between serum levels of nitric oxide and vitamins C and E, and hearing impairment (r = -0.395, r = -0.318, r = -0.500, respectively). There was also a positive correlation between serum vitamin C concentrations and hearing levels in the control group (r = 0.417). These results suggest that oxidative stress may play an important role in hearing impairment in diabetic patients. In this process, increased protein oxidation appears to be more important than lipid peroxidation. Nitric oxide may have a protective effect on hearing, as may some nonenzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C and E.

Hearing Loss and Diabetes: You Might Not Know What You're Missing

In this issue, Bainbridge and colleagues report that people with diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey had increased risk for hearing loss compared with nondiabetic perso...

A 5-Year Prospective Study of Diabetes and Hearing Loss in a Veteran Population

Veterans with diabetes will have significantly greater hearing loss than nondiabetic veterans. The association between diabetes and hearing loss remains unclear despite the volume of research that has been devoted to the question. Often, differences in hearing thresholds between diabetic and nondiabetic patients are confounded by age and noise exposure. In this 5-year prospective study, 342 diabetic veterans and 352 nondiabetic veterans from the Portland VA Medical Center in Oregon were tested on a variety of audiometric measures, including pure-tone thresholds. Age and noise exposure were accounted for in the analyses. There was a trend toward greater hearing loss in diabetic patients 60 years of age and younger across the frequency range. These differences were statistically significant only in the highest frequencies tested (10, 12.5, 14, and 16 kHz). The effects of both diabetes and noise exposure on high-frequency hearing thresholds were dependent on age. For patients older than 60 years, the mean thresholds were not significantly different. These results suggest that diabetic patients 60 years old or younger may show early high-frequency hearing loss similar to early presbycusis. After age 60, difference in hearing loss between diabetic and nondiabetic patients was reduced.