Abstract

DIABETES AND HEARING LOSS

*Dr. Shaymaa Hatem Hashim, Dr. May Sami Farhan and Dr. Muthanna Abdullah Badr

ABSTRACT

Attempts to establish the possible link between diabetes mellitus (DM) and hearing loss since the 1960s were not very convincing. Researchers, using data collected by the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Study, found a higher threshold among diabetic persons only at a single frequency of 500Hz.[1] Researchers in the Framingham cohort study found no association with diabetes.[2] Only the Wisconsin Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study detected a modestly increased occurrence of hearing impairment among diabetics, compared to those without diabetes, when they defined impairment as the pure-tone average above >25dBHL in the worse ear.[3] Other studies to identify such a link were conducted in industrial or military settings and could not rule out the possibility that the effect of DM was limited to individuals who were predisposed to hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure.[4]

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