ABSTRACT
Objective: Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia deriving from a defect in insulin secretion, insulin effect, or both. Varying levels of hearing loss may occur in patients with Type 1 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hearing functions of children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. At the same time, we also intended to examine the relationship between hearing loss and age at onset of diabetes, duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels.
Methods: Thirty-five patients diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and 30 healthy children were included in this prospective, cross-sectional study. Tympanogram, pure tone audiogram and transient evoked otoacoustic emission tests were performed to all subjects. Age at onset of diabetes, duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels of the diabetic children were recorded.
Results: We determined that the mean hearing thresholds of children with type 1 diabetes were within normal limits. However, according to the PTA results, mean hearing threshold values were significantly higher in children with Type 1 diabetes compared to the control group, and hearing thresholds were significantly higher compared to the control group at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz in the right ear and at 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz in the left ear. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of SNR and amplitude values in the TEOAE test results.
Conclusion: We recommend that Type 1 diabetic children should be kept under monitoring in terms of hearing functions.
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