Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss are common neurological deficit, and diabetes mellitus is a common cause for these problems. Hearing impairment affects the quality of life of diabetic patients. Many researchers found hearing impairment in diabetic patients because diabetes mellitus can cause sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) because of neuropathy and microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Aim of the study: The study aims to sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic control. Patients and methods: A prospective case control study is performed during the period between Jan 2018 and May 2019. This case series study included 100 known cases of diabetes mellitus, their ages were between 20-60 years, treated at Al-wafaa center, which is specialized center for treatment and follow up of diabetic patients, and Al-Jumhory Teaching Hospital in Mosul. The control group included 100 individuals who did not have any diabetes mellitus or any of the exclusion criteria mentioned in the study. Results: It has been found that sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was more common in diabetic patients group than controls group, 21% versus 8%. The prevalence of (SNHL) was more in male 31.7% than female diabetic patients 13.5%. Hearing threshold in diabetic patients was higher than that in control group. The hearing loss in diabetic patients is slowly progressive and directly related to the duration of diabetes. Conclusions: Sensorineural hearing loss has been found to be more common in diabetic patients than in control group, and the hearing loss in diabetic patients is slowly progressive. The hearing threshold in diabetic patients had a direct correlation with the duration of disease.