Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background:

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders which develops from complete or partial insulin deficiency, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels associated with long-term vascular and neurological complications. The link between Sensory neural hearing loss and diabetes mellitus is highly controversial. Sensory neural hearing loss occurs due to damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve pathways, often resulting in difficulty hearing soft sounds and understanding speech, particularly in noisy environments. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus has an increased risk of Microvascular Damage, leading to SNHL,Neuropathy, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, atherosclerosis, and other shared risk factors like aging, obesity, and Cardiovascular issues. Some studies have suggested that vitamin D also has a role in maintaining the health of the auditory system. Our study, therefore, aims to assess HbA1c and Vitamin D in patients of SNHL with type 2 Diabetes to observe and report any significant deviations in the same as compared to healthy controls.

Material and method

Patients aged 30 to 45 years with sensorineural hearing loss with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus attending the ENT outpatient department in SGT Hospital, Budhera, Gurugram, India, were studied. A total of 22 cases and 22 control from the general population were enrolled in the study. Estimation of Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) was assayed by an enzymatic method in auto analyzer Trace using commercially available kits, and Vitamin D was performed by Competitive ELISA kit. (Elabscience, USA).

Results:

Our study showed that patients with high HbA1c levels had an increased incidence of SNHL compared to the controls(p<0.001). Similarly, Vitamin D was significantly decreased in the patients with SNHL compared to the control subjects(p<0.001).

Conclusion:

Our study clearly showed that SNHL was more frequently found in the Diabetes population when compared with the control association. It was also found that vitamin D was decreased in SNHL patients with Type 2 Diabetes. HbA1c is usually used to estimate long-term blood glucose control and is basically used as an diabetic management indicator. Increased HbA1c Levels are usually related to poorer blood sugar control, which will lead to the risk of complications related to Diabetes, such as vascular damage, Neuropathy, and Inflammation. All these factors can lead to damage to blood vessels and nerves of the inner ear, reducing blood flow to the delicate structures of the inner ear and nerves responsible for hearing. Similarly, in our study, it was found out that with Increasing HbA1c levels, SHNL was also worsening. Therefore, we suggest early screening of Diabetes mellitus. additionally, managing Diabetes effectively through lifestyle changes as well as medication can help reduce the risk of Diabetes related complications, including those that can affect hearing.