A study of auditory brainstem evoked responses in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with normal hearing

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders with millions of cases world-wide. Its effect on functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nerves is a matter of current neurological research. Our study aimed to find out changes in auditory brainstem responses if any, in patients with type 1 and type 2 DM patients with apparently normal hearing.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> 50 cases each of type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with normal hearing were chosen along with 50 healthy controls. Pure tone audiometry and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) was performed in all cases. The BERA results were interpreted for the latencies of waves I, II, III, IV and V and inter-peak latencies I-III, I-V and III-V. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Significant delay in absolute latency of wave I, III, IV, V and inter-peak latencies I-V and III-V was seen in Type 1 diabetic patients. In Type 2 diabetic patients, latencies of waves I, II, III, IV and V and inter-peak latencies I-III, I-V and III-V were significantly delayed. There was no statistically significant difference in latency delay between type 1 and type 2 DM. No relation was found with the duration of DM.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> BERA is a non-invasive and easy to perform test that can detect minor CNS changes and can be used to detect peripheral (auditory nerve) and central neuropathy in diabetics even in absence of clinical signs and symptoms of deafness.</p>

Study of sensorineural hearing loss in children with type 1 diabetic mellitus and the corelation with the duration of the disease in a tertiary care center

“…A study conducted by Goyal et al in 2019 on auditory brainstem evoked responses in type 1 and type 2 DM patients concluded that there was no hearing loss among type 1 diabetic mellitus patients, but a significant delay in absolute latency of wave I, III, IV, and V and interpeak latencies I-V and III-V was seen in type 1 diabetic patients. No relation was found with the duration of diabetes [6]. There are few studies with similar results, where the children with type 1 DM had no sensorineural hearing loss, but the latency of the waves were prolonged compared to the control group [6,7].…”

“…No relation was found with the duration of diabetes [6]. There are few studies with similar results, where the children with type 1 DM had no sensorineural hearing loss, but the latency of the waves were prolonged compared to the control group [6,7]. Some studies…”

Auditory and Vestibular Functioning in Individuals with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

“…A significant delay in the absolute latency of waves I, II, III, IV and V and interpeak latencies (IPLs) of waves I-III, I-V and III-V was observed in DM2 individuals. 37 Other studies 38 39 with DM2 patients and healthy controls have reported a significant increase in the absolute latencies of waves I, III and V and IPLs of waves III-V and I-V. Kannan 40 also reported an increase in both absolute latencies (of waves III and V) and IPLs (of waves I-III, I-V and III-V) in DM2 individuals compared with healthy controls. Studies 41 42 reporting the effect of stimulus intensity on AEPs in DM2 revealed a significant increase in the absolute latencies of waves III and V and IPLs of waves I-III, III-V and I-V at 70 dBnHL and 80 dBnHL, whereas, at 90 dBnHL, the authors found a significant increase in the absolute latency of wave I compared with that of the other two intensities.…”

“…It can be inferred from the aforementioned findings, that DM2 can result in reduced conduction velocity in the auditory nerve that occurs secondary to diabetic neuropathy. Some authors [37][38][39][40] suggest that the prolongation of wave I could be due to a reduction in the time of peripheral transmission, and that the prolongation of waves III and V could be due to a reduction in the time of central transmission. This can be attributed to the neuronal degeneration that results from the oxidative stress and apoptosis of neurons in DM2.…”