Study of deafness in diabetics with special reference to neuropathy

Abstract

A total of 50 patients with diabetes mellitus were studied. Out of these, 13 patients had diabetic neuropathy on clinical evaluation. Amongst the group of patients without diabetic neuropathy, 64.86% had sensorineural hearing loss and 21.6% patients had conductive deafness. Patients with diabetic neuropathy had sensorineural hearing loss in 69.2% cases and conductive deafness in 23% patients. The hearing threshold were found to be within normal limit in diabetics with or without neuropathy at lower frequencies but it was significantly increased at higher frequencies (4000 HZ and 8000 HZ) in patients with diabetic neuropathy when compared with diabetic patients without neuropathy. The hearing threshold was increased at higher frequencies in uncontrolled diabetics. This was significant when compared with diabetics with normal fasting plasma glucose.