Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a non-communicable disorder which is metabolically disrupted associated with several complications, which include retinopathy, nephropathy, angiopathy, and neuropathy. Angiopathy and neuropathy caused by DM have been considered important factor for vestibulocochlear disorder found in these patients.

Aims and Objectives: The study was done to compare sensory-neural hearing losses (SNHL) in Type 2 diabetics with healthy individuals. To find out effect of age of individual on hearing, how glycemic control of diabetes affects hearing acuity which frequencies of hearing affected by diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 30 Type 2 diabetics and 30 healthy individuals are takes as controls in the age group of 30–60 years. Selection of individuals is done based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients are asked for detailed history and their detailed clinical examination is done. After this, all patients are investigated for HbA1C. All subjects underwent pure tone audiometry and findings were recorded and analyzed.

Results: The diabetics with SNHL are 90% when compared to the control are 60% which is highly significant (P = 0.017). Diabetes patients had hearing losses which are insidious in nature which is gradually progressive and affects hearing in both the sides. The audiogram of diabetics was suggestive of mild to moderately severe SNHL which was more toward higher frequencies. SNHL is aggravated with increasing age. In non-diabetic, SNHL is mainly due to age, but in diabetic, SNHL is mainly due to poorer control of diabetes not only due to
age.

Conclusion: The Type 2 diabetic patients had hearing losses at higher threshold more significantly which is bilateral, mild to moderately severe SNHL as compared to healthy individual of similar age. The glycemic control-HbA1C has significant correlation with severity of hearing loss. SNHL is more significant in patients whom had poor glycemic control.

Key words: Diabetes Mellitus; Sensory-neural Hearing Losses; HbA1C; Pure Tone Audiometry