Identifying Early Onset of Hearing Loss in Young Adults With Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Using High Frequency Audiometry

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder caused by hyperglycemia which leads to dysfunction of various organs. Hearing acuity is equally hindered by this disorder. Among individuals with DM audiological characteristics of DM type 1 are of great concern in the literature. This study aims at establishing high frequency audiometry (HFA) as a useful tool in identifying early onset of hearing loss in individuals with DM type 2. 20 non-diabetic participants and 20 individuals with DM type 2 in the age range of 20-40 years were considered for the study. Subjects in both groups underwent otoscopic examination, PTA at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 kHz and HFA at 9, 10, 11.2, 12.5, 14 and 16 kHz. Results revealed statistically significant difference in thresholds of both PTA and HFA at all frequencies across the group, but the mean threshold difference between the diabetic and non-diabetic group was marked in HFA than in PTA. In the diabetic subjects the thresholds of PTA was within 25 dBHL at all frequencies when compared to the thresholds of HFA. Individuals with DM type 2 showed bilateral symmetrical mild hearing loss in HFA and the hearing loss increased with ascending test frequencies from 9,000 to 16,000 Hz. Mild hearing loss in HFA is an indicator for early onset of hearing loss in DM type 2. Hence this present study emphasis the clinical utility of HFA in young adults with DM type 2.

Effects of diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension on elderly patients’ hearing

“… 37 , 38 Some authors have suggested that this controversy may be related to the presence of many confounding variables, as well as the complexity of the auditory system. 34 , 39 , 40 …”

Diabetes mellitus and sensorineural hearing loss: is there an association? Baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

“…Indeed, other studies that investigated the effects of diabetes on hearing function did not remove confounding factors such as exposure to noise 22,26,27, gender 22,26,28, age 26, and hypertension 6,9,16.…”

Early Diagnosis of Hearing Loss in Patients Under Methadone Maintenance Treatment

“…Most of the cases (4 of 6) of hearing loss following methadone abuse have been reportedly shown fully and speedy recovery and only two case reports showed persistent SNHL (4, 8). The findings of these case reports suggested that the reversible or irreversible methadone induced SNHL depends on the duration and time of exposure as well as the health status of drug users (10). Christenson and Marjal (18) reported two patients of sudden SNHL after methadone abuse, though the hearing loss in both cases reversed completely within 24 h. However, none of our patients had history of taking an overdose of prescribed methadone.…”

“…In addition to conventional PTA, extra high frequency (EHF) audiometry technique identifies hearing thresholds within the range of 9,000–18,000 Hz (9). The EHF assessment has been used for early detection of hearing loss attributable to lesions located in the base of the cochlear duct and may indicate alterations even before the characteristic effects appear in the conventional frequency range like noise induced hearing loss and ototoxicity (10).…”

“…Furthermore, studies conducted on the patients who had been treated with ototoxic medications have shown that EHF audiometry and DPOAE measurements can detect evidence of ototoxicity in the inner ear earlier than conventional audiometry, potentially serving as a predictor to ototoxic effects prior to damage occurs in frequencies that are critical for speech and language comprehension (10, 16, 17).…”