Pure tone audiometric evaluation of hearing impairment among diabetic patients in Azare

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the burden of its complications have been increasing globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries; and it is projected to rise to about 700 million by the year 2045. These complications include chronic kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetic foot disease, retinopathy, and hearing loss. The relationship between DM and these complications has been widely discussed in the literature. However, the relationship between DM and hearing loss has not been adequately explored in our environment.

Method: This is a cross-sectional study among adults diagnosed with DM. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Each participant had fasting blood sugar and pure tone audiometric tests performed. The severity of hearing loss was categorized according to the WHO grading. The data was analyzed using Statistical Products and Service Solution (SPSS) version 26.

Results: There were 240 participants, with 131(54.6%) being males. The majority of the participants had type 2 DM 232(96.7%) with uncontrolled blood sugar levels 176 (73.3%). Only 38(15.8%) of the participants complained of hearing loss. However, pure tone audiometry detected that 162(67.5%) had hearing impairment, with 102(42.5%), 34(14.2%), 14(5.8%), and 4(1.7%) having mild, moderate, severe, and profound sensory neural hearing loss (SNHL). Six (2.5%) patients had conductive hearing loss, and 4 (1.7%) had mixed hearing loss. Factors associated with the development of hearing loss among the patients included; age (p = 0.002), uncontrolled DM (p = 0.000), and duration of DM (p = 0.000). However, gender (p = 0.130) was not a significant factor associated with hearing loss.

Conclusion: This study's findings are significant, revealing a high incidence (67.5%) of hearing impairment among diabetic patients, even among those who are asymptomatic. This underscores the importance of routine pure tone audiometry for early detection of hearing loss among diabetic patients, a practice that could significantly improve patient outcomes.