Objective audiometric evaluation of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional survey in South West Nigeria

Abstract

Aims: Diabetes mellitus affects more than 450 million people around the world. The relationship between diabetes and sensorineural hearing loss has been an area of interest. The aim of this study is to evaluate hearing loss, among type 2 diabetes diagnosed in the endocrinology unit of a private tertiary health facility in South West Nigeria. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study carried out among type 2 diabetic patients and normal healthy non-diabetic individuals as control. A total of 120 participants were recruited for the test and control. Otoacoustic emission and auditory steady-state response audiometry were carried out on all the participants. Result: The total number of study participants was 120 (60 for test and control) with an age range of 30–79 years for the test and 20–80 years for the control. Otoacoustic emission showed passes for both ears, 61.7% pass in both ears for the test group and 76.7% pass in both ears for the control group. 21.7% of the test and control were referred for both ears. 16.6% of the test group was referred in one ear compared to 1.7% in the control group. Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) audiometry showed mild to profound hearing loss in all test groups while in the control group 20% had normal hearing. Moderate to moderately severe hearing loss in at least one ear was 38.4% in the test ear compared to 16.7% in the control group. Conclusion: Hearing loss is an established complication of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate regular hearing screening for patients with diabetes for early detection, counseling, and rehabilitation for those with disabling hearing loss.