Hearing loss at high frequency in type II diabetes mellitus

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the proportion of hearing loss and evaluate PTA (pure tone average) at high frequencies through pure tone audiometry measurement. A cross-sectional study at diabetes and ENT department in Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City from October 2022 to June 2023 with 70 type 2 DM patients in the age group 36 - 60, selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. After detailed history taking and clinical examination, all patients underwent HbA1c evaluation, pure tone audiometry. The results figured that there was 60% of the patients suffered from high frequenceies hearing loss based on PTA high frequency. The incidence of this condition was 5%, 65.38%, 100% at each of age groups 36 - 40, 41 - 50, 51 - 60, respectively (p < 0.01). Potential factor including age, prolonged DM duration, poorly controlled disease was related to high frequency hearing loss (p < 0.01). Thus, diabetic patients type 2 with risk factors above should undergo pure tone audiometry to early defect damage auditory functions.