Twenty-six million people in the United States have diabetes and the number of Americans with diabetes is expected to grow. Wolfe, Honaker, and Decker (2011) note that diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by autoimmune-related insulin deficiency (referred to as type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes, or IDDM, impacting approximately 5 to 10 percent of all diabetics) or the improper use of insulin by body cells (type 2, or non-insulin dependent, NIDDM, impacting some 90 to 95 percent of all diabetics).
The authors report diabetics have been previously shown to have a statistically significant increased risk for hearing loss from ages 20 to 59 years. Other auditory signs and symptoms secondary to DM may appear with respect to pure-tone audiometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR) latency prolongation and/or reduced amplitude otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). Synergistic effects of DM combined with noise exposure and/or microvascular disease may increase the opportunity for hearing loss. Therefore, Wolfe, Honaker, and Decker recommend counseling DM patients with regard to noise exposure and hearing protection.
For More Information, References, and Recommendations
Bainbridge HJ, Hoffman HJ, Cowie CC. (2008) Diabetes and Hearing Impairment in the United States: Audiometric Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999 to 2004. Annals of Internal Medicine 149.
Does Diabetes Affect Hearing? Annals of Internal Medicine 2008;149
American Diabetes Association
Wolfe AK, Honaker JA, Decker TN. (2011) Exploring the Association of Hearing Loss with Diabetes Mellitus—A Critical Review. Seminars in Hearing 32(4):332-342.