Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting multiple organ systems, including the auditory pathway. Vascular and neuropathic complications in DM may contribute to cochlear dysfunction and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Diabetes Mellitus (DM) may be a major health problem in modern society. The disease and its complications can affect most systems of the human body. A possible complication of DM is sensorineural deafness (SNHL).

Objective: To find out the prevalence of different frequencies of hearing impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The study design was analytic cross-sectional. The data was collected from ENT Department. The study took 4 months. The sample size was calculated at 325 based on the prevalence (69.73%) of sensorineural hearing loss in diabetic patients through an online sample size calculator (CI: 95% and margin of error=5.00%). The Sampling technique was Non-Probability Purposive Sampling. Data analysis was done by using SPSS Version 21.0 software. The sample-included patient diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), of both genders, aged 51-70 years, consented to inclusion in the study. Cases with external or middle ear diseases were excluded from the study.

Results: The 325 diabetes mellitus patients comprised the study population, in which 36.6 % (n=119) patients had hearing loss on different frequencies, and 30.8% had mild to severe hearing loss on high frequencies.

Conclusions: This study concludes that the prevalence of hearing impairment is high among patients with diabetes mellitus and has more effect on higher frequencies of hearing rather than mid and low frequencies.