Changes in brainstem auditory evoked potentials among North Indian females with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Evaluation of the auditory brainstem response test in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background

Hearing loss is an unknown complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to evaluate hearing function using auditory brainstem response (ABR) in diabetic patients.

Methods

The present case-control study was performed on thirty diabetic patients as a case group and thirty healthy individuals as a control group. Baseline demographic information, HbA1c level, and duration of diabetes were obtained from all diabetic patients. In all subjects, the ABR and pure-tone audiometry (PTA) tests were performed and the results were analyzed using the t-test and logistic regression.

Results

The absolute latency of I was significantly lower in diabetes patients. The absolute latency of III and the interpeak latencies (IPL) I-III were significantly higher in diabetic patients. No significant relationship was noticed in the absolute latency of V and the IPL I-V among diabetic patients in the right and left ears (P>0.05).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggested that diabetes may cause central auditory dysfunction manifested on the absolute latency of III, the IPL I-III and III-V.

Is there a direct correlation between the duration and the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hearing loss?

AIM

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the duration of diabetes and the control of glycemia on the auditory function of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included 80 patients with T2DM (divided depending on when T2DM was diagnosed, and also according to the control of glycemia), and 50 healthy subjects.

RESULTS

The hearing threshold in T2DM patients was statistically significantly higher for 1,000 Hz, 2,000 Hz, 4,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz. Absolute latencies of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) revealed significant differences between average absolute latencies for waves I, III and V, as well as inter-wave latencies I‒V and I‒III (p <0.001). A statistically significant difference was noted in the presence of transitory otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) (p <0.001). In T2DM patients with poor glycemic control, where the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is above 7%, the hearing threshold levels were statistically significantly higher in both ears at 8,000 Hz and at 2,000 Hz in the right ear, and the absolute latency of wave V was prolonged in the right ear. There was no evidence that the duration of diabetes significantly affected the auditory threshold, absolute and inter-wave BAEP latencies.

CONCLUSION

The patients with T2DM displayed an increased hearing threshold, qualitative changes in BAEP and the absence of TEOAE. The duration of poorly-controlled glycemia had a greater effect on the patients' auditory function than the duration of T2DM. Hippokratia 2016, 20(1): 32-37.