Abstract:

The hearing status in 45 adults with diabetes (mean age = 59.87 years, s.d. = 9.83) and an age-matched control group of individuals was examined. The average duration of diabetes was 17.02 years (s.d. 9.66). Although hearing loss has been previously documented in patients with diabetes, the relationship between hearing impairment and diabetes is unclear. Etiology of hearing loss, whether cochlear or retrocochlear, has also been debated in the literature. Audiometric thresholds, word recognition scores in quiet and in competing noise of +6 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were obtained. Comparisons in audiometric results were made between diabetics with and without complications (30 with and 15 without neuropathy). Results revealed considerable variability in hearing sensitivity, audiometric configuration, and speech recognition in the presence of noise. Mean auditory thresholds and TEOAE and DPOAE values were calculated. Otoacoustic emissions were reduced in amplitude or absent in subjects with sensorineural hearing loss regardless of diabetic status. Relations between measures and clinical implications will be discussed. [Work supported by NIH.]