Hearing loss prevalence in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic degenerative disease that impairs normal insulin production and use. DM chronic auditory complications may include spiral ganglion atrophy, degeneration of the vestibulocochlear nerve myelin sheath, reduction of the number of spiral lamina nerve fibers, and thickening of the capillary walls of the stria vascularis and small arteries. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to verify the hearing thresholds of individuals with type 1 DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients were enrolled in this trial and divided into case and control groups featuring diabetic and non-diabetic subjects respectively. All individuals were interviewed and underwent physical examination, ENT examination, and audiometric tests. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was observed in hearing thresholds of case group subjects at 250, 500, 10,000, 11,200, 12,500, 14,000 and 16,000 Hz for both ears and ear average. Case group subjects had higher likelihood of having hypacusis at any frequency regardless of ear than controls. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant differences were seen in the audiological findings of case group subjects when compared to controls. Thorough audiological examination including high frequency audiometry is required for subjects with diabetes mellitus type 1.