ESPE Abstracts

Background: There have been reports that patients with diabetes have hearing loss greater than those without. Suggested pathogenesis for diabetes-associated hearing loss has included cochlear microangiopathy, hyperglycaemia of cerebrospinal fluid, auditory neuropathy and diabetic encephalopathy.

Objective and hypotheses: This study is aimed to investigate hearing changes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and to examine if hearing changes is associated with glycaemic control.

Method: Pure-tone thresholds were measured in both ears of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) (n=53) and their sex and age-matched healthy controls (n=33) at frequencies from 125 Hz to 8 000 Hz.

Results: There was greater hearing loss in T1DM subjects compared to controls at 6 000 Hz. Significant greater hearing loss was also found in poorly-controlled T1DM subjects (HbA1c≧9%) (n=25) compared to well-controlled subjects (HbA1c <9%) (n=28) at 2 000, 4 000 and 6 000 Hz.

Conclusion: T1DM is associated with an increased risk of hearing loss in children and adolescents and this difference seems to be related to blood glucose control states. Hearing evaluation and interventions are required in the management of T1DM in children and adolescents.