Impairment of extra-high frequency auditory thresholds in subjects with elevated levels of fasting blood glucose

Abstract

This study was performed to assess whether there is an association between elevated Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and hearing impairment in Bangladeshi population. A total of 142 subjects (72 with elevated FBG; 70 control) were included in the study. The mean auditory thresholds of the control subjects at 1, 4, 8 and 12 kHz frequencies were 6.35 ± 0.35, 10.07 ± 0.91, 27.57 ± 1.82, 51.28 ± 3.01 dB SPL (decibel sound pressure level), respectively and that of the subjects with elevated FBG were 8.33 ± 0.66, 14.37 ± 1.14, 38.96 ± 2.23, and 71.11 ± 2.96 dB, respectively. The auditory thresholds of the subjects with elevated FBG were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the control subjects at all the above frequencies, although hearing impairment was most evidently observed at an extra-high (12 kHz) frequency. Subjects with a long duration of diabetes (>10 years) showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher level of auditory thresholds at 8 and 12 kHz, but not at 1 and 4 kHz frequencies, compared to subjects with shorter duration of diabetes (≤10 years). In addition, based on the data of odds ratio, more acute impairment of hearing at the extra-high frequency was observed in diabetic subjects of both older (>40 years) and younger (≤40 years) age groups compared to the respective controls. The binary logistic regression analysis showed a 5.79-fold increase in the odds of extra-high frequency hearing impairment in diabetic subjects after adjustment for age, gender and BMI. This study provides conclusive evidence that auditory threshold at an extra-high frequency could be a sensitive marker for hearing impairment in diabetic subjects.

Diabetes mellitus and hearing loss

“…And when the course exceeded 12 years, some patients developed severe and profound hearing loss (Mishra and Poorey 2019 ). Celik et al and Das et al ( 2018 , 1996 ). Although Kurien et al ( 1989 ).…”

“…A similar phenomenon was observed by Das et al in another cross-sectional study involving subjects aged 21 to 64 years. They found that the mean hearing threshold gap between the two groups was greatest at extra-high frequency (12 kHz: 71.11 ± 2.96 dB vs. 51.28 ± 3.01 dB) (Das et al 2018 ).…”

“…The relationship between fasting blood glucose (FBG) and DRHL remains unclear. Some researchers believe that there is an association between high FBG levels and the development of SNHL (Das et al 2018 ; Mishra and Poorey 2019 ). In a small sample study (n = 50), Srinivas et al found that SNHL was present in about 79% of T2DM patients with FBG > 7.0 mmol/L, and in 28% of T2DM patients with FBG < 7.0 mmol/L ( P = 0.0283) (Srinivas et al 2016 ).…”

Remedial Effects of Homeopathic Medicine in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media-Related Complications

“…The patients' audiometric examination was conducted in a sound-proof room using an iPod with earphones as previously describes (Sumit et al, 2015;Das et al, 2018). The hearing level was measured at 1, 4, 8 and 12 kHz frequencies for the participating subjects.…”

Early screening of chronic kidney disease patients among the asymptomatic adult population in Bangladesh

“…BMI was categorized into underweight (BMI <18.5), normal weight (18.5-25) and overweight (>25) according to WHO classification (26). Diabetes was considered when subjects fasting blood glucose was found >7.0 mmol/L or >126 mg/dL) (27). Hypertension was considered when systolic blood pressure (SBP) >130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressures (DBP) >80 mm Hg were found (21).…”