DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i05.057

Pages: 2173-2177

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in increasing due to increase in consumption of processed foods and sedentary lifestyle. The hyperglycemia in diabetes is due to relative or absolute deficiency of insulin. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to several complications including neuropathy. We in the present study tried to evaluate the effect of chronic diabetes mellitus type 2 on hearing thresholds. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital [RIMS], Adilabad in the Department of ENT. The patients were subjected to pure tone audiometry to determine the auditory acuity. A total of n=65 normal individuals out of which Male/female 45/20 acted as control group A they did not have any significant medical conditions including hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, on ototoxic drugs. In diabetic group, B out of n=62 patient male/female were 38/24. No patient in the diabetic group had evidence of nephropathy, retinopathy or neuropathy. The incidence of SN hearing loss among nondiabetics was 21.88% whereas in diabetics it was 50% had SN hearing loss. The mean auditory threshold of the diabetic group was higher compared to the control group the differences were found to be clinically significant in all frequencies from 250 Hz to 8000 Hz. 24% showed a significant hearing loss in 25 dB in at least one frequency. The hearing impairment in these patients was usually bilateral and almost equal on both the sides. The degree of hearing loss was 12 out of 31 patients 38% had mild hearing loss 35% had a moderate hearing loss and 19 had a moderately severe hearing loss and 6% had a severe hearing loss. The study demonstrates that hearing loss was more in diabetic individuals as compared to normal individuals. In almost all of the individuals with diabetic hypoacusis, the pattern of hearing loss was bilateral and purely sensorineural hearing loss. Therefore hearing impairment may be one of lesser recognized complications of diabetes me