European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Several Research has tried to study the link between sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes-related hearing loss has a typical presentation. The hearing loss is usually bilateral, with a gradual start that affects higher frequencies. The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of SNHL in people with diabetes, as well as its relationship to age, gender, DM duration, and DM management and complications.
Methods: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria n=60 cases were selected for the study. The cases were subjected to ENT, Systemic, Audiometric, and Laboratory assessments. The Ear examination included the pinna, preauricular and post auricular areas, mastoid, external auditory canal, and tympanic membrane. Pure tone audiometry:  Audiometric assessment was conducted in the soundproof room delivering pure tone stimuli to one ear at a time in frequencies of 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz, and 8000 Hz at various selected intensities.
Results:  Outof n=60 cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus n=38(63.33%) cases were found to have sensorineural hearing loss and n=22(36.67%) cases were found to be normal. Based on the onset of hearing loss in this study out of the n=38 cases of sensorineural hearing loss n=36(94.73%) cases had slow onset of hearing loss and n=2(5.26%) had a sudden onset of hearing loss. Based on the pure tone audiometry findings out of n=38 detected with sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally. n=28(73.68%) cases were having mild hearing loss and n=10(26.31%) cases were having moderate hearing loss.
Conclusion: The prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss in diabetics was found to be 63.33%. The sensorineural hearing loss is generally gradual and involves high-frequency thresholds. With increasing age and diabetes duration, the hearing threshold rises. There was no specific differentiation of SNHL between males and females.